title: Gestational Weight Gain and Health Outcomes 18 Years Later in Urban Black Women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Excessive gestational weight gain (GWG) is associated with higher body mass index (BMI) later in life. Increased BMI is associated with health problems, but there is limited evidence linking GWG directly to later health in black women. We examined the association between GWG and health conditions 18 years after a first birth.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was a secondary data analysis of 467 urban black women, enrolled during pregnancy (1990-1991). GWG was the difference between self-reported pre-pregnancy weight and measured weight at delivery. Hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and self-reported health were assessed with self-report and measurements of blood pressure, height, and weight, approximately 18 years after first childbirth.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Higher pre-pregnancy BMI was associated with increased probability of each health condition. Higher GWG was associated with hypertension for women with a pre-pregnancy BMI under 21.3 kg/m(2) (P < .05) and obesity for women with a pre-pregnancy BMI under 25.9 kg/m(2) (P < .05). Diabetes and poor health were not associated with GWG.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  GWG may impact a mother's hypertension and obesity status 18 years after childbirth for underweight and normal weight women.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Yale University, P. O. Box 27399, West Haven, CT, 06516-7399, USA. margaret.holland@yale.edu.
authors.forename: Margaret L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Holland
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Susan W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Groth
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Harriet J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kitzman
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D009765:Obesity / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D013714:Tennessee / Q000453:epidemiology; D013851:Thinness / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000208:ethnology*
keywords: Body mass index; Diabetes mellitus, type 2; Health outcomes; Health status; Hypertension; Obesity; Pregnancy; Weight gain