Factors That Influence Weight Loss in the Puerperium

Abstract

A study group of 795 women was followed with frequent weight measurements and questionnaires about their activities for 6 months postpartum. The mean (+/- SD) net weight gain from the first prenatal visit to 6 months postpartum was 1.4 +/- 4.8 kg. Weight gain during prenatal care was the variable most highly correlated to weight loss. Return to work outside the home, parity, and smoking also correlated significantly to weight loss. Breast-feeding, exercise, season of the year, age, and marital status were not correlated. Route of delivery was related to weight loss at 2 and 6 weeks, but not at 6 months. Counseling women about weight gain during pregnancy and weight loss requires an understanding of these variables with a long-term perspective of at least 6 months.

The association of pregnancy and the development of obesity – results of a systematic review and meta-analysis on the natural history of postpartum weight retention

“…Other studies report that pregnancy-related weight gain is significantly decreased at 6 months postpartum. 4,14 These studies have little longitudinal data and are therefore unable to discern a pattern of PPWR. Furthermore, the specific time interval in which the measurement of PPWR best estimates the amount of weight retention attributable to pregnancy is unclear from current reports.…”

Television, Walking, and DietAssociations with Postpartum Weight Retention

“…6 The reported proportion of women retaining 5kg or more 6 to 12 months postpartum has ranged from 14% to 25%. 6,7 Gestational weight gain is the strongest predictor of weight retention following pregnancy. 2,6 Other identified risk factors, including nonwhite race/ethnicity, primiparity, and high prepregnancy weight, are not modifiable or occur prior to pregnancy.…”

Fatores determinantes da retenção de peso no pós-parto: uma revisão da literatura

“…Estes incluem variáveis relacionadas à história reprodutiva, sobretudo à paridade (Arroyo et al, 1995;Billewicz & Thomson, 1970;Brown et al, 1992;Coitinho, 1998;Heliovara & Aromaa, 1981;Newcombe, 1982), à intensidade da lactação (Barbosa et al, 1997;Butte & Hopkinson, 1998;Dewey et al, 1993;Kramer et al, 1993;Potter et al, 1991), à atividade físi-ca (Boardley et al, 1995;Dewey, 1998aDewey, , 1998bLovelady et al, 2000), assim como fatores ligados ao estilo de vida no pós-parto (Leermakers et al, 1998;Ohlin & Rossner, 1990Parham et al, 1990;Rossner, 1992;Sampselle et al, 1999;Schauberger et al, 1992;Smith et al, 1994).…”

“…Considerando o peso pré-gestacional reportado, estes mesmos autores observaram que o peso retido um ano após o parto foi maior para ex-fumantes (3,4kg), intermediário para não fumantes (1,5kg), sendo o mais baixo para as mulheres que não pararam de fumar (0,9kg). Schauberger et al (1992) também observaram que o peso retido seis meses após o parto em não fumantes (1,7kg) foi maior do que em mulheres que não pararam de fumar (0,6kg). Mulheres fumantes apresentaram maior perda de peso seis meses depois do parto (13,5kg) em comparação com não fumantes (11,9kg), contudo, com duas e seis semanas após o parto, as diferenças entre fumantes e não fumantes não foram estatisticamente significativas.…”