Prevalence and Associate Factors for Striae Gravidarum
Ratree J-orh MD*, Vitaya Titapant MD*, Prakong Chuenwattana PhD*, Pornpen Tontisirin BN*
Affiliation : * Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok
Objective : To determine the prevalence and associate factors for striae gravidarum in Thai pregnant women
Study design: Cross-sectional study
Material and Method: Two hundred and eighty women who gave first birth and were admitted to the postpartum
wards in Siriraj Hospital were recruited. All of them were assessed during the immediate postpartum period for
having striae gravidarum or not by the physician. The questionnaire was used to interview the participants for
all of the information needed in the present study. The participants with striae gravidarum and the other
without striae gravidarum were compared to characteristics of women using unpaired student t test and Chi-
square tests.
Results : Seventy-seven percent of the study participants had developed striae gravidarum. Women who
developed striae gravidarum were significantly younger (22.8 yr + 4.0 yr vs. 26.6 yr + 6.0 yr; p < 0.05), higher
pre-pregnancy BMI (21.2 kg/m2 + 4.1 kg/m2 vs. 19.8 kg/m2 + 4.8 kg/m2; p < 0.05), higher maternal BMI at
pregnancy (27.3 kg/m2 + 4.7 kg/m2 vs. 25.6 kg/m2 + 6.0 kg/m2; p < 0.05), higher gestational age at delivery
(39.1wk + 1.3wk vs. 38.6 wk + 1.1 wk; p < 0.05), higher birth weight of baby (3,078.8 g + 411.4g vs. 2,895.8g
+ 339.2g; p < 0.05), alcoholic drinker (91.4% vs. 8.6%; p < 0.05), had a little water intake (7.4 glasses + 2.7
glasses vs. 8.3 glasses + 3.1 glasses; p < 0.05), and had a family history of striae gravidarum (82.8% vs. 17.2%;
p < 0.05) were associated with striae gravidarum.
Conclusion : Maternal age, pre- pregnancy BMI, maternal BMI at delivery, gestational age at delivery, birth
weight of baby, alcoholic drinking, water intake and family history were associated with striae gravidarum.
Keywords : Striae gravidarum, Striae, Associate factors, Prevalence, Stretch mark
