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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Little Rock, Arkansas » Microbiome and Metabolism Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #339660
Title: Association of gestational weight gain expectations with advice on actual weight gain

Author
item KRUKOWSKI, REBECCA - University Of Tennessee
item WEST, DELIA - University Of South Carolina
item DICARLO, MARISHA - University Arkansas For Medical Sciences (UAMS)
item CLEVES, MARIO - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC)
item SAYLORS, MARIE - University Arkansas For Medical Sciences (UAMS)
item ANDRES, ALINE - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC)

Submitted to: Obstetrics & Gynecology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/28/2016
Publication Date: 1/1/2017
Citation: Krukowski, R.A., West, D.S., Dicarlo, M., Cleves, M.A., Saylors, M.E., Andres, A. 2017. Association of gestational weight gain expectations with advice on actual weight gain. Obstetrics & Gynecology. 129(1):76-82. doi:10.1097/AOG.0000000000001780.

Interpretive Summary: We examine pregnant women's gestational weight gain expectations and advice from themselves, their family and friends and their physician on actual measured gestational weight gain. In this study, overweight and obese women were significantly more likely to expect excessive gestational weight gain compared to normal weight women. In addition, women who reported expecting to gain excessively were significantly more likely to actually gain excessively than those who expected to gain within the guidelines. Self-expectations of gestational weight gain exceeding the Institute of Medicine's guidelines places women in their second pregnancy at significantly higher risk of gaining excessively. It may be particularly important to develop interventions that positively influence women's own expectations for gestational weight gain.

Technical Abstract: To examine pregnant women's gestational weight gain expectations/advice from various sources (i.e., self, family/friends, physician) and the impact of these sources of expectations/advice on actual measured gestational weight gain. Pregnant women (n=230, 87.4% Caucasian, second pregnancy) in a cohort study were queried at 12 weeks gestation about the amount of weight that: a) she felt was "healthy" to gain, b) she expected to gain, c) her friends/family thought she should gain, and d) specificity of her physician's advice about gestational weight gain. Actual gestational weight gain was calculated as the difference in measured weight between 4-10 weeks and 36 weeks gestation. Odds ratios and corresponding 95% confidence intervals were computed for the association between excessive gestational weight gain and each expectation/advice question using logistic regression. Overweight and obese women were significantly more likely to expect excessive gestational weight gain compared to normal weight women. Women who reported expecting to gain excessively were significantly more likely to actually gain excessively (odds ratio: 3.19, 95% confidence interval: 1.77, 5.77) than those who expected to gain within the guidelines. After adjusting for gestational weight gain in the first pregnancy and sociodemographic characteristics, women who reported expecting to gain excessively were still significantly more likely to gain excessively (odds ratio: 2.20, 95% confidence interval: 1.07, 4.54) than those who expected to gain within guidelines. It may be particularly important to develop interventions that positively influence women's own expectations for gestational weight gain.