title: [Relationship between maternal body mass index, gestational weight gain and birth weight; prospective study in a health department].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To ascertain the relationship between maternal weight gain and birth weight, in every pre-gestational body mass index (BMI) category.
  
  
  METHODS
  A two-stage sampling observational and descriptive study was carried out in the health department of La Ribera (Valencia, Spain). The sample was divided into four groups according to pre-gestational BMI.
  
  
  RESULTS
  140 pregnant women were studied. We observed rising pre-gestational weight gain (PWG) and trimestral gradients. There was a higher increase from the first to the second trimester than from the second to the third trimester in every pre-gestational BMI category. According to the international recommendations of Institute of Medicine, 16.4% of women had an inferior gestational weight gain (GWG), 38.6% were within the recommendations and 45% were above them. The pre-gestational BMI, categorized by the WHO, is related to the birth weight, showing a statistical significance (F=6.636 and and p<0.001). Obese mothers with a higher weight gain than the recommended have newborns with higher birth weight (4,353 ± 821.924 g) and, underweight mothers with a lower weight gain than the recommended, have newborns with lower birth weights (2,900 ± 381.83 g) than the rest of the groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The absolute gestational weight gain did not show a statistical significance compared to the birthweight in any of the pre-gestational BMI categories and, as an isolated indicator, is not an added value to the prenatal quality control.
authors: Hospital Universitario de la Ribera. Director of Department of Nursing, Universidad Católica de Valencia, Spain.. rvila1974@gmail.com.
authors: Rafael
authors: R
authors: Vila-Candel
authors: Hospital Lluis Alcanyis. Senior Nursing Lecturer, Universidad Católica de Valencia, Spain.. rvila1974@gmail.com.
authors: Francisco Javier
authors: FJ
authors: Soriano-Vidal
authors: PhD, Nursing. Dean of the Faculty of Nursing at Universidad Católica de Valencia, Spain.. rvila1974@gmail.com.
authors: Pedro
authors: P
authors: Navarro-Illana
authors: MSc, Nursing. Senior Nursing Lecturer, Universidad Católica de Valencia, Spain.. rvila1974@gmail.com.
authors: M Teresa
authors: MT
authors: Murillo-Llorente
authors: MD, PhD, DrPH is a Full Professor at the Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Universitat de Valencia, Spain. Director, Programme Management World Health Organization, Spain.. rvila1974@gmail.com.
authors: José M
authors: JM
authors: Martín-Moreno
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001724:Birth Weight; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015430:Weight Gain; D055815:Young Adult