title: Provider advice about pregnancy weight gain and adequacy of weight gain.
abstract: To explore the association between health care provider advice about weight gain and gestational weight gain. Using data from a prospective cohort study, we explored the association between provider advice about weight gain in pregnancy with weight gain adequacy among 1,454 pregnant women. Provider advice was measured by maternal self-report at 27-30 weeks' gestation. Linear and Poisson regression were used to explore associations. Seventy-eight percent of the women gained outside current recommendations. Fifty-one percent reported receiving weight gain advice from a health care provider. Adjusted Generalized Linear Model (GLM) estimates showed weak effect of provider advice on inadequate or excessive gain (Relative Risk (RR) 0.96, 95% CI 0.74, 1.26 for inadequate gain and RR 1.01, 95% CI 0.97, 1.06 for excessive gain). There is a need for more women to hear about their targeted weight gains during pregnancy and the present advice that exists does little to influence actual gains. Further studies are warranted to find better strategies for providers to motivate their patients to gain weight within the appropriate ranges.
authors.affiliation: Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 725 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., Campus Box 7590, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7590, USA. rferrari@unc.edu
authors.forename: Renée M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.forename: Anna Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Siega-Riz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003376:Counseling; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D009657:North Carolina; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D011247:Pregnancy; D011264:Pregnancy Trimesters; D011295:Prenatal Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D057566:Self Report; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D015430:Weight Gain