New Study Will Examine Weight-Gain Limits For Obese Pregnant Women

Main Category: Pregnancy / Obstetrics
Also Included In: Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness
Article Date: 26 Oct 2009 - 1:00 PDT

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A new clinical trial at Kaiser Permanente will consider whether obese pregnant women need to gain a minimum amount of weight during their pregnancies, as the Institute of Medicine currently advises, USA Today reports. IOM guidelines released in May state that pregnant women who are obese should gain 11 to 20 pounds while pregnant. However, Kim Vesco of the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research, who will direct the new "Healthy Moms" trial, suggested that amount may be unhealthy for obese women. Vesco said that some studies suggest that little or no weight gain "is actually associated with better outcomes for obese women." The additional weight could lead to pregnancy-induced hypertension and diabetes, caesarean sections and birth injuries, according to Vesco. She led a recent study, published in the November edition of Obstetrics & Gynecology, which found that pregnant obese women who gain 15 pounds or more were likely to have retained 40% of that weight a year later. Patrick Catalano, an ob-gyn at MetroHealth Medical Center who co-wrote the IOM guidelines, said, "Women who don't gain weight can have healthy babies."

The government-funded Healthy Moms study will begin this month. In the study, 180 pregnant obese will be randomly split into two groups. Women in one group will receive one individual counseling session on diet and exercise, while the second group will receive two sessions and weekly group counseling sessions for the duration of their pregnancies. Researchers will monitor fetal growth and ensure that all women eat enough (Rubin, USA Today, 10/21).

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