Risk factors for excessive or inadequate gestational weight gain among Hispanic women in a U.S.-Mexico border state

Abstract

Objective: To identify risk factors for excessive or inadequate gestational weight gain and associated morbidities among Hispanic women in a U.S.-Mexico border state.

Design: Case-control design.

Setting: New Mexico.

Participants: Hispanic women responding to the New Mexico Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System 2000 to 2003; 1,597 women in final excessive versus adequate gestational weight gain analyses and 1,351 in final inadequate versus adequate gestational weight gain analyses.

Methods: Information from birth certificates and Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System questionnaires were use in logistic regression analyses to identify risk factors and associated events.

Results: Prevalence of excessive gestational weight gain was 35.7%, while inadequate gestational weight gain was 30.4%. Among factors associated with increased risk of excessive gestational weight gain were overweight (odds ratio [OR]=2.87, 95% confidence interval [CI]=2.11, 3.90) or obese status (OR=1.82, 95% CI=1.38, 2.39), whereas residing in a U.S.-Mexico border county reduced such risk (OR=0.75, 95% CI=0.59, 0.97). Among risk factors for inadequate gestational weight gain were gestational diabetes (OR=1.58, 95% CI=1.05, 2.37) and inadequate prenatal care (OR=2.17, 95% CI=1.56, 3.02). After adjusting for confounders, inadequate gestational weight gain increased risk of low birth weight (OR=l.92, 95% CI=1.11, 3.29), while excessive gestational weight gain reduced this risk (OR=0.29, 95% CI=0.12, 0.68) but increased risk of macrosomia (OR=2.07, 95% CI=1.32, 3.25).

Conclusion: Prepregnant overweight and obese status were among factors associated with excessive gestational weight gain among Hispanic women, whereas inadequate prenatal care was among factors associated with increased risk of inadequate gestational weight gain.