American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology
Volume 201, Issue 1 , Pages 51.e1-51.e6, July 2009

High pregnancy weight gain and risk of excessive fetal growth

Presented (partial analysis) at the Implications of Weight Gain for Pregnancy Outcomes meeting for the Institute of Medicine's Committee to Reexamine IOM Pregnancy Weight Gain Guidelines, Washington, DC, June 5, 2008.

  • Patricia M. Dietz, DrPH, MPH

      Affiliations

    • Division of Reproductive Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
    • ,
  • William M. Callaghan, MD, MPH

      Affiliations

    • Division of Reproductive Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
    • ,
  • Andrea J. Sharma, PhD, MPH

      Affiliations

    • Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA

Received 14 November 2008; received in revised form 26 February 2009; accepted 22 April 2009.

Objective

The purpose of this study was too assess whether prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) modifies the relationship between pregnancy weight gain and large for gestational age (LGA; > 90% of birthweight for gestational age) or macrosomia (≥ 4500 g).

Study Design

This was a population-based cohort study of 104,980 singleton, term births from 2000-2005.

Results

Prepregnancy BMI modified the relationship between weight gain and LGA. Lean women had higher odds of LGA than overweight or obese women for weight gain ≥ 36 lb. For macrosomia, prepregnancy BMI did not modify the association. Compared with women who gained 15-25 lb, the aOR for a gain of 26-35 lb was 1.5 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2-1.9), for a gain of 36-45 lb was 2.1 (95% CI, 1.7-2.7), and for a gain of ≥ 46 lb was 3.9 (95% CI, 3.0-5.0).

Conclusion

Current pregnancy weight gain recommendations include weight gain ranges that are associated with increased risk of LGA and macrosomia.

Key words: macrosomia, weight gain during pregnancy

 

 The findings and conclusions in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

 Reprints not available from the authors.

 Authorship and contribution to the manuscript is limited to the 3 authors indicated. There was no outside funding or technical assistance with the production of this article.

 Cite this article as: Dietz PM, Callaghan WM, Sharma AJ. High pregnancy weight gain and risk of excessive fetal growth. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2009;201:51.e1-6.

PII: S0002-9378(09)00441-4

doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2009.04.051

Refers to article:

  • Articles in full Low pregnancy weight gain and small for gestational age: a comparison of the association using 3 different measures of small for gestational age

    Patricia M. Dietz, William M. Callaghan, Ruben Smith, Andrea J. Sharma
    American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology July 2009 (Vol. 201, Issue 1, Pages 53.e1-53.e7)

American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology
Volume 201, Issue 1 , Pages 51.e1-51.e6, July 2009