How much weight are women gaining during pregnancy? An Italian cohort study.
BACKGROUND
The 2009 Institute of Medicine (IOM) guidelines define adequate gestational weight gain (GWG) in the attempt to prevent maternal and neonatal adverse outcomes. The aim of this study was to assess whether the IOM guidelines are met in pregnant women with different pre-gestational body mass index (BMI).


METHODS
The study included 230 pregnant women recruited at the University Hospital of Pisa (Italy) at their screening visit (24-28 weeks of gestation) for gestational diabetes (GDM). GWG was determined at screening time and before delivery to be compared with GWG recommended by IOM for each pre-pregnancy BMI category.


RESULTS
A total of 48% of women had a GWG exceeding IOM recommendations. The prevalence of GWG excess was higher in over-weight (OW, 63.2%) and obese (OB, 63.8%) women as compared to normal-weight (NW, 27.7%; p < 0.0001) women. The upper limit of the recommended IOM weight gain range was already exceeded at screening time in 15.5% of women. The percentage increased 27% and 18% in OW and OB, respectively, compared with 1.5% in NW (p < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
About half of pregnant women had a GWG greater than the IOM recommended. GWG excess is particularly evident in OW and OB women.
a Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine - Section of Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases and.
Matilde
M
Romano
a Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine - Section of Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases and.
Emilia
E
Lacaria
b Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , University Hospital , Pisa , Italy.
Lorella
L
Battini
a Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine - Section of Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases and.
Michele
M
Aragona
a Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine - Section of Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases and.
Cristina
C
Bianchi
a Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine - Section of Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases and.
Giuseppe
G
Penno
a Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine - Section of Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases and.
Stefano
S
Del Prato
a Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine - Section of Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases and.
Alessandra
A
Bertolotto
D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016640:Diabetes, Gestational / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D050177:Overweight / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000502:physiology*
BMI; GDM; IOM guidelines; gestational weight gain; pregnancy