Predictors of weight gain at 6 and 18 months after childbirth: a pilot study

Abstract

Objective: To test the contributions of life-style and stress to postpartum weight gain after controlling for sociodemographic and reproductive influences.

Design: Longitudinal mail survey with retrospective data on gestational weight gain and prospective data on postpartum weight gain.

Setting: Multicounty community in the midwestern United States.

Participants: After deleting from the sample women who became pregnant again, had confounding medical conditions, or had missing weight data, the sample consisted of 88 predominantly white mothers at 6 months after childbirth and 75 predominantly white mothers at 18 months after childbirth.

Main outcome measures: Weight gain at 6 and 18 months after childbirth.

Results: Maternal race and gestational weight gain accounted for significant amounts of variance in 6-month and 18-month postpartum weight gain. Neither life-style nor perceived stress contributed significantly to predicting postpartum weight gains. Gestational weight gain was the most important predictor of postpartum weight gain.

Conclusions: Given the contribution of gestational weight gain to postpartum weight gain, further study is needed of high gestational weight gain.