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. 2015 May;23(5):1071-8.
doi: 10.1002/oby.21006. Epub 2015 Apr 10.

Patterns of gestational weight gain related to fetal growth among women with overweight and obesity

Janet M Catov  1 , Diane Abatemarco, Andrew Althouse, Esa M Davis, Carl Hubel
Affiliations

Patterns of gestational weight gain related to fetal growth among women with overweight and obesity

Janet M Catov et al. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2015 May.

Abstract

Objective: Maternal obesity is associated with increased risk of large-for-gestational-age (LGA) and small-for-gestational-age (SGA) births. Both are related to childhood obesity. This study considers that the patterns of gestational weight gain (GWG) may help to disentangle these competing risks.

Methods: Patterns of GWG were characterized among a cohort of women with overweight or obesity (n = 651). Polytomous logistic regression models were tested for associations between GWG patterns and birth weight outcomes: SGA (<10th) and LGA (>90th percentile).

Results: Rates of SGA were higher than those for LGA (14.9% vs. 7.8%). Four GWG patterns were identified: consistently high (29%), early adequate/late high (33%), consistently adequate (18%), and consistently low (20%). Risk of LGA was highest in women with consistently high GWG (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 4.62 [1.53, 13.96]), and risk was elevated, but with lower magnitude, among women with early adequate/late high gains (OR 3.07 [1.01, 9.37]). High GWG before 20 weeks, regardless of later gain, was related to LGA. Low gain before 20 weeks accompanied by high gain later may be associated with reduced SGA risk (0.55 [0.29, 1.07]).

Conclusions: The pattern of weight gain during pregnancy may be an important contributor to or marker of abnormal fetal growth among women with overweight or obesity.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Study participants according to GWG in the first (up to 20 weeks') and second half of pregnancy (20 weeks to delivery), Pregnancy Evaluation and Preeclampsia Prevention Study, 2008-2013
Figure 2
Figure 2. Patterns of gestational weight gain across pregnancy, Pregnancy Evaluation and Preeclampsia Prevention Study, 2008-2013
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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