Gestational Weight Gain Linked to Infant Illness, Death

Birth and infant death data for 15.8 million mother-infant pairs in the United States were used to identify optimal gestational weight gain(GWG) ranges associated with reduced risks of infant illness and death for different maternal weight categories. This study was done to identify optimal GWG ranges associated with reduced risks of infant morbidity and mortality across maternal body mass index (BMI) categories.

This retrospective cohort study used US nationwide, linked birth and infant death data between 2011 and 2015 to assess the associations of GWG in 2.0-kg groups with infant morbidity and mortality and identified optimal GWG ranges associated with reduced risks of both outcomes.

Results showed that optimal GWG ranges were 12.0 to less than 24.0 kg for underweight and normal weight women, 10.0 to less than 20.0 kg for overweight women, 8.0 to less than 16.0 kg for women with class 1 obesity, 6.0 to less than 16.0 kg for class 2 obesity, and 6.0 to less than 10.0 kg for class 3 obesity..

The study found that inadequate GWG was linked to an increased risks of adverse infant outcomes even for women with obesity. The results suggested that weight maintenance or weight loss should not be used as routine guidelines.



Source-Medindia