Publication date: Jun 18, 2026
Evidence as to whether COVID-19-mitigating measures affected the metabolic status of pregnant women is lacking. This is the first study to analyze changes in pre-pregnancy weight, body mass index (BMI), gestational weight gain (GWG), the prevalence of overweight and obese women conceiving, and delivery-associated complications during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to pre-pandemic times. This nationwide cohort study analyzed birth registry data from all obstetric departments in Austria. The period from 05 to 12/2020 was defined as the pandemic period (N = 30,806), whereas the period from 05-12/2015-2019 was defined as the pre-pandemic period (N = 162,463). The pre-pregnancy weight and BMI were 64 (57-73) kg and 23. 03 (20. 70-26. 37) kg/m during the COVID-19 pandemic versus 63 (56-72) kg and 22. 7 (20. 57-22. 77) kg/m during the pre-pandemic period (p
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| Concepts | Keywords |
|---|---|
| Austria | Birth complications |
| Epidemiologic | Body mass index |
| Overweight | COVID-19 |
| Pregnancy | Obesity |
| Pre-pregnancy weight |
Semantics
| Type | Source | Name |
|---|---|---|
| disease | MESH | COVID-19 pandemic |
| disease | MESH | gestational weight gain |
| disease | MESH | weight body |
| disease | MESH | overweight |
| pathway | REACTOME | Reproduction |
| disease | MESH | included |
| drug | DRUGBANK | Methylphenidate |
| disease | MESH | Obesity |