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Association Between Gestational Weight Gain According to Body Mass Index and Postpartum Weight in a Large Cohort of Danish Women

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Abstract

Our aim was to investigate the association between gestational weight gain (GWG) and postpartum weight retention (PWR) in pre-pregnancy underweight, normal weight, overweight or obese women, with emphasis on the American Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommendations. We performed secondary analyses on data based on questionnaires from 1,898 women from the “Smoke-free Newborn Study” conducted 1996–1999 at Hvidovre Hospital, Denmark. Relationship between GWG and PWR was examined according to BMI as a continuous variable and in four groups. Association between PWR and GWG according to IOM recommendations was tested by linear regression analysis and the association between PWR ≥ 5 kg (11 lbs) and GWG by logistic regression analysis. Mean GWG and mean PWR were constant for all BMI units until 26–27 kg/m2. After this cut-off mean GWG and mean PWR decreased with increasing BMI. Nearly 40% of normal weight, 60% of overweight and 50% of obese women gained more than recommended during pregnancy. For normal weight and overweight women with GWG above recommendations the OR of gaining ≥ 5 kg (11 lbs) 1-year postpartum was 2.8 (95% CI 2.0–4.0) and 2.8 (95% CI 1.3–6.2, respectively) compared to women with GWG within recommendations. GWG above IOM recommendations significantly increases normal weight, overweight and obese women’s risk of retaining weight 1 year after delivery. Health personnel face a challenge in prenatal counseling as 40–60% of these women gain more weight than recommended for their BMI. As GWG is potentially modifiable, our study should be followed by intervention studies focusing on GW.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Fetal Medicine and Ultrasound 4002, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Line Rode

  2. The Juliane Marie Centre for Women, Children and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Line Rode, Hanne Kjærgaard, Bent Ottesen, Peter Damm & Hanne K. Hegaard

  3. Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Line Rode, Hanne Kjærgaard, Bent Ottesen & Peter Damm

  4. Department of Obstetrics, Juliane Marie Centre, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Peter Damm

  5. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hvidovre Hospital, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Hanne K. Hegaard

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  1. Line Rode
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  2. Hanne Kjærgaard
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Correspondence to Line Rode.

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Rode, L., Kjærgaard, H., Ottesen, B. et al. Association Between Gestational Weight Gain According to Body Mass Index and Postpartum Weight in a Large Cohort of Danish Women. Matern Child Health J 16, 406–413 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-011-0775-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-011-0775-z

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