Healthy gestational weight gain prevalence and associated risk factors: A population-based study in the far South of Brazil

Abstract

Objective To measure and identify the factors associated with healthy weight gain during pregnancy in the municipality of Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Methods This was a population-based, cross-sectional study that included all parturient women from the municipality who gave birth at its maternity hospitals in 2013. Information was collected by interview with the mothers in the first 48 hours following parturition and from the prenatal care cards. Healthy weight gain was evaluated according to the Institute of Medicine guidelines. Data analysis used Poisson regression with robust variance using previous hierarchical model. Results Among the 1,784 pregnant participants, 89% attended at least six prenatal care visits, and 32% had healthy weight gain during pregnancy. Higher education level and fewer children resulted in a higher prevalence ratio for healthy weight gain (p=0.003 and p=0.029, respectively). Underweight women at conception had a higher proportion of healthy weight gain (p<0.001). Despite extensive coverage, prenatal care did not affect healthy weight gain during pregnancy (p=0.104). Conclusion The low proportion of women with healthy gestational weight gain suggests a need of better prenatal care services. Women who are overweight, have lower education levels, and had had multiple pregnancies at conception need special attention.

Nutritional status and dietary intake of pregnant women

“…Pontes (2) (2007) reported that maternal schooling may be considered an obstetric risk marker for the pregnant woman and the newborn, since it is associated with low birth weight, neonatal mortality, perinatal mortality, infant mortality, and parity. A positive relationship of healthy weight gain occurs among pregnant women with 12 or more years of schooling (29). In the present study, pregnant women who were eutrophic in the pregestational period had the highest prevalence of schooling <8 years (43.4%) and no paid work (50.3%).…”

Rate of gestational weight gain trajectory is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes

“…For women in group 2 (maintained a higher rate of GWG (0•58 kg/week)), they had a higher education level (tertiary education) than women in group 1 and group 3. Several studies in the Western countries reported that women with higher education were associated with lower risk for excessive GWG (40,41) . The inconsistent finding might be due to the variation in food choices, cooking methods and fast-food v. home cooking between populations of developed and developing countries (42,43) .…”

Associated factors with excessive weight gain in pregnant women from Maceió, Northeastern Brazil

“…The prevalence of this condition has been increasing and being a cause for alarm among health professionals 23 , and the fact that in this study those obese women had a greater weight gain compared to non-obese wom-en (16.2% versus 9.5%; p = 0.034). A similar result was found in a study carried out in Southern Brazil where a higher risk of excessive weight gain was observed in pregnant women with pre-gestational overweight and obesity (RR 1.75, 95% CI 1.48-2.07 and RR: 1.55, 95% CI: 1.23-1.96, respectively) 22 , and in another study conducted with women in Scotland, UK, where significant associations were found between high maternal BMI and excessive weight gain 24 , and in the study with pregnant women in Rio Grande do Sul, where was observed that overweight women at conception had the lowest proportion of healthy weight gain during pregnancy 20 .…”

“…Adequate nutritional status and maternal weight gain are important factors for an adequate gestational outcome, as well as maternal and infant health maintenance over the years 19,20 . In this research, almost two-thirds of pregnant women presented excessive weight gain (66.0%), a much higher frequency than that found in studies performed with Brazilian pregnant women in Campina Grande (43.0%) 21 and Rio Grande do Sul (44.8%) 22 , and with pregnant women in Canada (48.7%) 8 .…”