25 Jan Does Limiting Weight Gain in Pregnancy Reduce Complications?
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Dr. Alan Peaceman
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.
MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report?
Response: These findings suggest that the link between excess gestational weight gain and pregnancy complications is more complex than first thought. Physicians should continue to encourage patients to control their weight gain as there are likely to be other longer term benefits for the mothers and babies.
MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?
Response: We plan to examine long term measures of metabolism and obesity in the mothers who participated in the trial to look for benefits that might not be immediately apparent.
No disclosures. This study was funded by a grant from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of the NIH.
MedicalResearch.com: Thank you for your contribution to the MedicalResearch.com community.
Citation: Presented at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine
2: MOMFIT: A randomized clinical trial of an intervention to prevent excess gestational weight gain in overweight and obese women
Alan M. Peaceman,Mary J. Kwasny,Niki Gernhofer,Eileen Vincent,Jami L. Josefson
,Linda Van Horn
Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
Note: Content is Not intended as medical advice. Please consult your health care provider regarding your specific medical condition and questions.
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Last Updated on February 1, 2017 by Marie Benz MD FAAD