Preconception Predictors of Weight Gain During Pregnancy: Prospective Findings from the Central Pennsylvania Women's Health Study
Received 21 September 2009; received in revised form 24 November 2009; accepted 7 December 2009. published online 04 February 2010.
Objectives
We examined preconception (prepregnancy) predictors of pregnancy weight gain and weight gain that exceeds the 2009 Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommendations based on pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), in a prospective study.
Methods
Data are from a population-based cohort study of 1,420 women who were interviewed at baseline and 2 years later. The analytic sample includes 103 women who were not pregnant at baseline and gave birth to full-term singletons during the follow-up period. Preconception maternal weight category as well as health behaviors, psychosocial stress, parity, and age were examined as predictors of pregnancy weight gain and of weight gain in excess of the IOM recommendations using multiple linear and logistic regression analysis.
Results
Pregnancy weight gain averaged 33.01 pounds, with 51% of women gaining weight in excess of the 2009 IOM recommendations for their preconception weight category. Preconception overweight (BMI = 25–29.9) increased the odds of excessive pregnancy weight gain nearly threefold, whereas preconception physical activity levels meeting activity guidelines reduced the odds of excessive weight gain but was marginally statistically significant.
Conclusion
Although future research examining the role of physical activity in relation to pregnancy weight gain is needed, preconception overweight and physical activity levels are prime targets for interventions to avoid excessive pregnancy weight gain.
aCollege of Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, Pennsylvania
bCollege of Health and Human Development, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania
Correspondence to: Carol S. Weisman, PhD, Department of Public Health Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine, 600 Centerview Drive, A210, Hershey, PA 17033.
Funded, in part, under grant number 4100020719 with the Pennsylvania Department of Health. The Department specifically disclaims responsibility for any analyses, interpretations or conclusions. The Penn State Survey Research Center conducted the telephone surveys. The Study was approved by the Institutional Review Board at the Penn State College of Medicine.
ABSTRACT