C. Shapiro, V. G. Sutija, J. Bush
Effect of maternal weight gain on infant birth weight
Objective: To ascertain whether increased weight gain
during pregnancy resulted in higher birth weight infants.
Methods: A database was constructed from valid data
of a sample of 159 healthy women between 19 to 37
years of age. The inclusion criteria were: maternal age
of 19–37 years, term gestations (37–42 weeks), a
baseline weight obtained at 0–15 weeks gestation, and
a final weight obtained within 2 weeks of delivery.
Weight gain was calculated by subtracting baseline
weight from the final weight. A documented height enabled
calculation of BMI. A negative screen for gestational
diabetes was required.
Results: Women with lower first trimester BMI (<25)
had infants of lower birth weight than women of higher
BMI (>25). Women with lower gain (<35 lbs) delivered
smaller infants than women with higher gain
(>35 lbs). Women of higher BMI and higher gain delivered
the largest infants (F = 5.37; p = 0.0015). Underweight
women (BMI <19) gained less weight than
women of normal weight (BMI 19–25), who gained
the most weight. Obese women (BMI > 29) gained the
least weight (F = 6.26; p = 0.0005).
Conclusion: The results confirmed that excessive maternal
weight gain in pregnancy (> 35 lbs), does result
in higher birth weight infants.
Journal of Perinatal Medicine, Walter de Gruyter
Print ISSN: 1619-3997
Volume: 28, 11/2000
Pages: 428 - 431
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