Little congruence between health care provider and patient perceptions of counselling on gestational weight gain.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the self-reported counselling practices of health care providers with regard to prenatal weight gain and the risks of inappropriate gain.


METHODS
We conducted a cross-sectional survey using a self-administered questionnaire at obstetrician, midwifery, and family medicine clinics in Hamilton, Ontario. Health care providers were eligible to participate if they provided prenatal care and could read English sufficiently well to complete the survey.


RESULTS
Forty-two health care providers completed the survey; of these, 95% reported counselling women to gain a specific amount of weight, and 81% reported that they recommended values that were in accordance with the 2009 Institute of Medicine/Health Canada guidelines. The risks of excess and inadequate gain were reported as being discussed with their patients by 87% and 76% of health care providers, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
In this first study to the best of our knowledge of gestational weight gain counselling since the publication of the 2009 guidelines, most health care providers reported discussing weight gain and the risks of inappropriate gain, which is incongruent with previously published information on their patients' reports of counselling.
Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton ON.
Olha
O
Lutsiv
Department of Family Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton ON.
Keyna
K
Bracken
Biostatistics Unit, St. Joseph's Healthcare, Hamilton ON; Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University, Hamilton ON.
Eleanor
E
Pullenayegum
School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton ON.
Wendy
W
Sword
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton ON.
Valerie H
VH
Taylor
Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University, Hamilton ON; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, McMaster University, Hamilton ON; Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton ON.
Sarah D
SD
McDonald
D000328:Adult; D003376:Counseling / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009864:Ontario; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000592:standards*; D057566:Self Report; D015430:Weight Gain