Weight gain during pregnancy, according to previous nutritional status and age of postpartum women assisted in the maternity department of a public hospital in Macaé, Rio de Janeiro

Abstract

Introduction: Pregnancy is a physiological stage that requires adequate health monitoring, with a view to achieving a positive outcome for the mother and the baby. Among prenatal care activities, regular monitoring of weight gain is important because of the role such parameter plays in maternal and child health; moreover, inadequate weight gain may lead to health complications. Objective: To describe the pattern of gestational weight gain of postpartum women assisted at a public maternity hospital, according to their previous nutritional status and maternal age. Method: Descriptive cross-sectional epidemiological study, whose data were collected from primary (hospital record) and secondary (interview) sources, in 2014, with a sample of 113 women aged 20 to 40 years up to 48 hours after childbirth. Pregestational nutritional status was assessed using the Body Mass Index (BMI), and gestational weight gain adequacy was assessed on the basis of the recommendations of the Institute of Medicine (IOM). Result: 73.5% were aged 20-29 years; 69.9% made six or more prenatal visits, and 42.2% had excess weight (overweight or obese) prior to pregnancy. Age-specific data on pregestational nutritional status showed that 35.5% (n = 79) of the women between 20-29 years old and 60% (n = 30) of those between 30-40 years old had previous excess weight. There was a significant association (p <0.01) between the variables “gestational weight gain” and “previous nutritional status”. Among those who had excess weight gain, 73.1% had previous excess weight. Conclusion: Most of the postpartum women had previous excess weight, and had excess weight gain during pregnancy - especially the older ones. Maternal age and previous nutritional status can be considered as determinants of weight gain. Also, widespread adoption and coverage of prenatal nutritional monitoring are needed in the public health system to help control excessive weight gain, which may aggravate the obesity epidemic in Brazil.