The Relationship Between Body Mass Index and the Level of Complaints in Third Trimester Pregnant Women at the Kobe Community Health Center

Abstract

The third trimester of pregnancy is the final phase of pregnancy, characterized by various physiological changes and increased physical complaints in pregnant women. The level of complaints experienced can be influenced by the mother's physical condition, one of which is Body Mass Index (BMI) as an indicator of nutritional status. This study aims to determine the relationship between BMI and the level of complaints in pregnant women in the third trimester. The study used a descriptive analytical design with a cross-sectional approach. The study was conducted at the Kobe Community Health Center in November with a sample of 30 pregnant women in the third trimester selected using a purposive sampling technique. BMI was categorized as underweight, normal, and overweight/obese, while the level of complaints was measured using a structured questionnaire that assessed physical complaints such as back pain, shortness of breath, fatigue, leg cramps, pelvic pain, and sleep disturbances. Data analysis was performed descriptively and bivariately using the Fisher's Exact Test. The results showed that mothers with underweight and overweight/obese BMI experienced higher complaints than mothers with normal BMI. The statistical test showed a p-value of 0.045, indicating a significant relationship between BMI and the level of complaints in the third trimester. This study concludes that BMI plays an important role in influencing the comfort of pregnant women in the final trimester, so monitoring nutritional status needs to be an integral part of antenatal care.