Maternal weight gain during pregnancy and neonatal birth weight: a review of the literature

Obesity has become a serious global public health issue and has consequences for nearly all areas of medicine. Within obstetrics, obesity not only has direct implications for the health of a pregnancy but also impacts on the weight of the child in infancy and beyond. As such, maternal weight may influence the prevalence and severity of obesity in future generations. Pregnancy has been identified as a key time to target a weight control or weight loss strategy to help curb the rapidly growing obesity epidemic. This study reviews the current evidence for interventions to promote weight control or weight loss in women around the time of pregnancy. Studies have shown positive correlations between both maternal pre-pregnancy weight and gestational weight gain with the birth weight of the infant and associated health risks, so interventions have been put to clinical trials at both time points. Many women are concerned about the health of their babies during pregnancy and are in frequent contact with their healthcare providers, pregnancy may be an especially powerful “teachable moment” for the promotion of healthy eating and physical activity behaviorsamong women.