Efficacy of an intervention to prevent excessive gestational weight gain

Objective This study was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy of an intervention directed at preventing excessive gestational weight gain. Study design Healthy pregnant women with normal and overweight early pregnancy body mass index were monitored from early pregnancy until 1-year postpartum. One hundred seventy-nine women in the intervention group had their gestational weight gains monitored by health care providers and also received by-mail patient education. Three hundred eighty-one women formed an historical control group. The proportions in each group gaining more weight in pregnancy than is recommended and retaining more than 2.27 kg at 1-year postpartum were compared using logistic regression analysis. Results Low-income women who received the intervention had a significantly reduced risk of excessive gestational weight gain (odds ratio [OR] = 0.41, 95% CI = 0.20-0.81). Overweight women within this income subgroup were at significantly reduced risk of retaining more than 2.27 kg (OR = 0.24, 95% CI = 0.07-0.89). Conclusion The intervention appeared to reduce the risk of excessive gestational weight gain only in the low-income subgroup.