Author Interviews, OBGYNE, Weight Research / 25.01.2017
Does Limiting Weight Gain in Pregnancy Reduce Complications?
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Alan Peaceman, MD
Professor and Chief of Maternal Fetal
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Response: Excess maternal weight gain during pregnancy is very common in the United States, and has been associated with a number of pregnancy complications, including gestational diabetes, maternal hypertension, excess fetal size, and cesarean delivery.
Children born to mothers who gained excessively during pregnancy are at much higher risk of developing obesity themselves. We performed a randomized trial where half of the women received an intensive intervention of diet and exercise counseling in an effort to limit their weight gain. Compared to the control group, those in the intervention gained on average 4 pounds less and were more likely to gain within recommended guidelines. Despite this improvement, however, we did not see any improvement in any of the pregnancy complications.
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