title: Interpregnancy changes in maternal weight and body mass index.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This longitudinal study compared changes in maternal weight and body mass index (BMI) in early pregnancy in the time interval between when a woman first attended for antenatal care with her first child and when she next attended for antenatal care.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied women with a singleton pregnancy who delivered their first baby weighing ≥ 500 g in 2009 and who attended again for antenatal care with an ongoing pregnancy before January 1, 2012. Maternal weight and height were measured before 18 weeks' gestation in both pregnancies and BMI was calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 3,284 primigravidas, the mean weight at the first visit in 2009 was 66.4 kg (standard deviation [SD] 12.7). The mean BMI was 24.5 kg/m(2) (SD 4.6), and 11.3% (n = 370) were obese. Of the 3,284 women, 1,220 (37.1%) re-attended for antenatal care before 2012 after sonographic confirmation of an ongoing pregnancy. Of the 1,220 women who re-attended, 788 (64.6%) had gained weight (mean 4.6 kg [SD 3.9]), 402 (33%) had lost weight (mean 3 kg [SD 2.9]), and 30 (2.4%) had maintained their weight.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The birth of a first baby was associated with an increase in maternal weight in two-thirds of women when they next attended for antenatal care.
authors.affiliation: University College Dublin Centre for Human Reproduction, Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Crosby
authors.affiliation: University College Dublin Centre for Human Reproduction, Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Martha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.affiliation: University College Dublin Centre for Human Reproduction, Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: O'Higgins
authors.affiliation: University College Dublin Centre for Human Reproduction, Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mullaney
authors.affiliation: University College Dublin Centre for Human Reproduction, Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Nadine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Farah
authors.affiliation: University College Dublin Centre for Human Reproduction, Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Turner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001721:Birth Intervals; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011295:Prenatal Care; D015430:Weight Gain; D015431:Weight Loss; D055815:Young Adult