Pregnant women's knowledge of weight, weight gain, complications of obesity and weight management strategies in pregnancy

Pregnant women's dietary patterns and knowledge of gestational weight gain: A cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE

Excess gestational weight gain (GWG) is a risk factor for various unfavorable maternal and neonatal outcomes that may be preventable. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle while pregnant can help prevent uncontrollable weight gain. The aim of this study was to assess pregnant women's knowledge on weight, GWG, diet, and knowledge of obesity-related complications among women who seek care at our semi-urban, regional setting.

METHODS

A prospective observational study was conducted at the prenatal clinic at Kalafong Academic Hospital. Prospective participants completed a questionnaire on their perception of GWG, attitudes toward GWG, knowledge of GWG, associated complications of obesity, and food choices. Data analysis was performed using SAS version 9.4.

RESULTS

The majority of the 500 individuals were overweight or obese prior to pregnancy. By the end of the third trimester, this increased by 10.1% (n = 420; 86.1%). Nearly half (n = 240; 48.78%) of the overweight and obese women underestimated their weight. Only 26.53% (n = 26) of women who checked their body mass index (BMI, calculated as weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters) gained weight according to recommendations. However, less than half (n = 96; 30.5%) gained weight within the recommended range, despite the fact that the majority of them (n = 315; 64%) were aware of the harmful effects of obesity on the cardiovascular system and the effects of high calories on weight gain (n = 321; 65%).

CONCLUSION

Despite basic knowledge of the impact of high-caloric intake on weight gain and cardiovascular complications, less than half of the study population gained weight within the recommended range.

Assessing Health Care Providers' Knowledge and Practices of Nutrition during Pregnancy in Lebanon: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background and objectives: Health care professionals (HCPs) are well-positioned to discuss healthy behaviors during pregnancy, but the published research of prenatal healthcare providers' knowledge about the significance of nutrition during pregnancy in Lebanon is scarce. The purpose of this study was to explore the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of Lebanese prenatal healthcare providers towards nutrition during pregnancy. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study using an online questionnaire was conducted. Health care providers were contacted by phone and email to participate in the online survey. A list of all clinics providing antenatal health services was obtained from the Order of Physicians and the Order of Midwives. A multistage random sample was selected. In the first stage, it was stratified per region (Beirut center or suburbs, and the southern region). In the second phase, it was stratified per clinic type (private, primary healthcare center, or hospital). Gynecologists and midwives who are members of the Order of Physicians and the Order of Midwives (n = 1333), were included. Results: Two-hundred and six responses (55% males) were obtained. Approximately 44% of the HCP were aged 50 and older, and 68.4% had more than 10 years of work experience. HCPs from Beirut represented 41.3% of the respondents. Eighty-eight percent of the HCPs were physicians, and 11% were midwives. The majority of the participants considered nutrition during pregnancy to be very important. Furthermore, half of these participants considered their position in delivering nutrition information as very significant. Most of the respondents reported that they provide nutrition advice to pregnant women, and they also received nutrition education during their profession. However, they perceived their nutrition knowledge as inadequate. Conclusion: Health care providers' attitude towards the importance of maternal nutrition and their confidence in talking about nutrition-related topics with pregnant women were positive despite the lack of knowledge in several areas related to nutrition during pregnancy. Therefore, there is a need for continuing nutrition education for health care providers and the implementation of nutrition education programs to achieve better health outcomes.

Pregnant Women's Perception and Knowledge of the Impact of Obesity on Prenatal Outcomes-A Cross-Sectional Study

The prevalence of obesity and overweight has been rapidly increasing and is significantly higher among adult females in the Arab States. The aim of the present study was to explore pregnant Emirati women's perception of their weight, their knowledge of the healthy gestational weight gain, and the possible weight-related pregnancy complications. A total of 526 self-administered questionnaires were obtained with a response rate of 72%. The majority (81.8%, n = 429) entered pregnancy as overweight or obese. The percentage of pregnant women who underestimated their weight category was 12.1% in normal weight participants, 48.9% in overweight participants, and 73.5% in obese participants (p < 0.001). The overweight and obese participants were 13 times more likely to underestimate their weight status and 3.6 times more likely to correctly select their healthy gestational weight gain. Women's awareness of pregnancy-related complications due to weight varied from 80.3% for diabetes to 44.5% for fetal complications; their awareness of breastfeeding difficulty was the lowest at 2.5%. Moreover, there was a misconception about personal BMI and the appropriate range for gestational weight gain (GWG). Healthy lifestyle counselling urgently needs to be addressed in preventative health programs such as pre-marital and preconception counselling.

Nutritional Health Knowledge and Literacy among Pregnant Women in the Czech Republic: Analytical Cross-Sectional Study

Adequate nutrition and the nutritional status of pregnant women are critical for the health of both the mother and the developing foetus. Research has shown a significant impact of nutrition on the child's health and the future risk of developing chronic noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. There is currently no data on the level of nutritional knowledge of Czech pregnant women. This survey aimed to evaluate their level of nutritional knowledge and literacy. An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in two healthcare facilities in Prague and Pilsen between April and June 2022. An anonymous self-administered paper-form questionnaire for assessing the level of nutritional knowledge (40 items) and the Likert scale for assessing nutrition literacy (5 items) were used. A total number of 401 women completed the questionnaire. An individual's nutritional knowledge score was calculated and compared with demographic and anamnestic characteristics using statistical methods. The results showed that only 5% of women achieved an overall nutritional score of 80% or more. University education (p < 0.001), living in the capital city (p < 0.001), experiencing first pregnancy (p = 0.041), having normal weight and being overweight (p = 0.024), and having NCDs (p = 0.044) were statistically significantly associated with a higher nutritional knowledge score. The lowest knowledge scores were found in the areas of optimal energy intake, optimal weight gain, and the role of micronutrients in diet during pregnancy. In conclusion, the study shows limited nutrition knowledge of Czech pregnant women in some areas of nutrition. Increasing nutritional knowledge and nutrition literacy in Czech pregnant women is crucial for supporting their optimal course of pregnancy and the future health of their offspring.

Women's Knowledge and Perceptions of the Effect of Exercise during Pregnancy: A Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND

Many women may not be aware of the effect of exercise during pregnancy. The objective of this study was to explore the knowledge and perceptions of the effect of exercise and compare whether there was a difference between women who were pregnant at the time of the study, who were not pregnant but had given birth in the past, and those who had never been pregnant and had never given birth.

METHODS

A cohort of 291 women, aged 18-55 years, participated in this cross-sectional study. Ninety-one (31.3%) women were pregnant at the time of the study; 97 (33.3%) were not pregnant but had given birth in the past, and 103 (35.4%) were not pregnant and had never given birth. This was a survey by an on-line questionnaire.

RESULTS

Only 24.4 % of respondents were aware of the effect of exercise in pregnancy, 44% were not aware of the effect of exercise in pregnancy, and 52.6% did not know if exercise interventions could be prescribed during pregnancy. The perceived aims of exercise, reported by the women, were to keep the body fit (58%), to reduce low back and pelvic pain (55%), and to facilitate childbirth (51%).

CONCLUSIONS

Women who were not pregnant but had given birth were significantly less aware of the effect of exercise than women who were pregnant at the time of the study or not pregnant and had never given birth. The internet was the most common source of information about exercise among all respondents. Almost all women in the study felt the need for more knowledge about the effect of exercise during pregnancy. Therefore, exercise specialists must inform and educate women about the benefits of exercise during pregnancy.

Knowledge, attitudes and behaviours surrounding preconception and pregnancy health: an Australian cross-sectional survey

OBJECTIVE

To understand Australian women's knowledge, attitudes and behaviours surrounding preconception and pregnancy health and their preferences for information about these periods.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional survey.

SETTING

Making healthy changes can optimise preconception and pregnancy outcomes. Clinical practice guidelines inform preconception and pregnancy care in Australia. Women often have access to multiple sources of information on reproductive and pregnancy health.

PARTICIPANTS

Women of reproductive age were asked to complete a web-based survey. The survey development was informed by preconception guidelines, consensus statements and the national pregnancy care guidelines. The survey was distributed through social media, local and national networks from 2017 to 2018.

RESULTS

Completed surveys were received from 553 women.The majority (80.4%) had high educational attainment. Checking immunisation status and ensuring good mental health were rated as equally important actions both preconception (65%) and during pregnancy (78%). Limiting sedentary activities was not rated as an important action to take either preconception (36%), or during pregnancy (38%). Although women have good knowledge about the impact of weight on their own health outcomes (eg, gestational diabetes), there was less knowledge about adverse outcomes for babies like stillbirth and preterm birth. Women access many sources for reproductive health information, however, the most trusted source was from healthcare professionals.

CONCLUSION

Most women of reproductive age in Australia have knowledge of the key health recommendations for preconception and pregnancy. However, there are gaps related to lifestyle behaviours particularly connected to weight gain and outcomes for babies. There is a strong preference to receive trusted information from healthcare providers through multiple resources.

Prevalence and pregnant women's knowledge of maternal obesity and excessive gestational weight gain among women attending antenatal care in Fako Division, Cameroon

Introduction

obesity poses significant public health concerns, being a risk factor for most non-communicable diseases and future cardiovascular diseases. Maternal obesity could be associated with adverse maternal-foetal outcomes, and there is a scarcity of data regarding obesity in pregnancy in our setting. Our objective was to determine the prevalence and knowledge of obesity and excessive Gestational Weight Gain (GWG) among pregnant women attending ANC in the Fako Division.

Methods

we conducted a hospital-based cross-sectional study from January 28 to May 29, 2020, in the Limbe District Hospital (LDH) and Buea Road Integrated Health Centre (BRIHC). We collected data on socio-demographic prevalence, including knowledge of obesity and excessive GWG among pregnant women. Data was analysed using IBM SPSS version 26.

Results

out of the 317 participants included, 58.9% (n=185) were aged 20-29 years, 36% (n=116) unemployed. The mean gestational age was 28.82 ± 7.75 weeks and 33.1% (n=105) were nulliparous. The prevalence of obesity in pregnancy and excessive GWG were 42.3% (n=134) and 41.6% (n=132) respectively. Respondents who consumed alcohol were more likely to be obese (aOR: 2.11, 95% CI 1.19-3.71; p; = 0.01). Those aged <20 (aOR: 0.064, 95% CI 0.007-0.57; p= 0.014) and 20-29 years (aOR: 0.297, 95% CI 0.16-0.56; p<0.001) were less likely to be obese than those 30-39 years. 46.1% (n=147) had poor knowledge of the complications of obesity in pregnancy, while 77.3% (n=245) had moderate knowledge of the safe and effective weight management methods during pregnancy. Late ANC booking was associated with excessive GWG (P=0.002).

Conclusion

maternal obesity and excessive GWG is highly prevalent among ANC clients in the Fako Division, with excessive GWG being associated with late ANC booking. Hence, there is a need to design community-based interventions that could increase rates of early booking visits and consequently increase its benefits.

Perception of the impact of maternal weight on pregnancy outcomes in overweight and obese women

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to assess and compare knowledge, self-awareness, and accuracy of perceived risks and weight status among overweight and obese women.

METHODS

This study was a secondary analysis of a cross-sectional questionnaire study of overweight and obese pregnant women who sought a routine first-trimester screening ultrasound. Those with a pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) ≥25 kg/m² (calculated using self-reported height and weight) were included. Perceived associations between estimated weight category and risk of pregnancy complications were assessed and compared in the overweight and obese groups. The perceived weight category was compared to an estimated weight category. A logistic regression identified the demographic and medical factors associated with correct identification of risk factors.

RESULTS

A total of 169 participants (88 overweight; 81 obese) were included. Most participants believed their weight did not impact the ultrasound detection of a fetal malformation (92.1% overweight vs. 55.6% obese, p < .01). Few participants associated their weight with pregnancy-related problems (6.8% overweight vs. 24.7% obese, p < .01). Most participants did not associate their weight with specific maternal complications (72.7% overweight vs. 45.7% obese, p < .01) and fetal complications (83.0% overweight vs. 71.6% obese, p = .08). More obese than overweight women underestimated their weight category (64.4% vs 41.3% overweight, p = .01). Women who correctly estimated their weight status, non-Hispanic participants, and those with a history of depression or at least one maternal co-morbidity were more likely to associate their weight with increased risk for pregnancy-related problems.

CONCLUSION

Although more obese than overweight women associated excess weight with pregnancy complications, both groups underestimated the impact on their pregnancies. Targeted educational programs are needed to improve the risk perception of these populations prior to pregnancy with the goal of improving their weight statuses and pregnancy outcomes.

Which factors play a role in the decision of mothers to participate in child follow-up examinations after participation in an RCT?: a semi-quantitative study

OBJECTIVES

To determine which factors contribute to the decision of mothers to participate with their child in follow-up (FU) examinations after participation in a randomised controlled trial (RCT) prior to conception.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional survey, including Likert-scale items. Comparisons will be made between respondents who participated in all FU rounds of data collection and those who did not participate in any FU round with their child.

PARTICIPANTS

Women who participated in an RCT investigating the effect of a preconception lifestyle intervention (LIFEstyle study: Netherlands Trial Register: NTR1530) were invited to participate with their child in three FU data collections when the child had a mean age of 4.2 years, 4.6 years and 6.5 years, respectively. FU rounds included a health questionnaire, physical examination and cardiac assessment, successively.

RESULTS

Sixty-seven respondents were included, of whom 7 (10%) did not participate in any FU round and 24 (36%) participated in all FU rounds. Women who participated with their child in all 3 FU data collection rounds felt more involved in the FU research (95.8%) and agreed more often that the FU was introduced well (91.7%) as compared with women that did not participate in any FU data collection round with their child (14.3% and 28.6%, respectively). Participants of FU rounds more often agreed that participation felt like a health check for their child as compared with non-participants. In addition, participants of the physical examination and cardiac assessment more often let their decision to participate depend fully on their child, as compared with non-participants (39.4% vs 17.7% and 52.5% vs 24%, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

To increase participation rates in future FU studies of children after maternal participation in an RCT, we suggest to involve women in the design of the FU study, to emphasise possible perceived benefits of participation and to encourage women to actively involve their child in the decision of participation.

Influence of Gestational Diabetes and Pregestational Maternal BMI on the Brain of Six-Year-Old Offspring

BACKGROUND

Gestational diabetes (GD) and maternal excess weight are common pregnancy conditions that increase the risk of future complications for both the mother and her offspring. Their consequences on neurodevelopment are widely described in the literature, but less is known concerning the potential transgenerational influence on the brain structure.

METHODS

We used a combination of support vectors machine and hierarchical clustering to investigate the potential presence of anatomical brain differences in a sample of 109 children aged six years, born to mothers with overweight or obesity, or to mothers diagnosed with GD during pregnancy.

RESULTS

Significant effects are visible in the brain of children born to mothers with GD associated with pregestational excess weight, especially overweight instead of obesity. No differences in children's brain were observed when considering those born to normal-weight mothers.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study highlights the need for clinical attention of pregnant women at risk to develop GD, and especially those with pregestational excess weight, since this status was found to be associated with detectable transgenerational brain changes. These effects may be due to the absence of specific and individualized intervention in these mothers during pregnancy.

Planning is not equivalent to preparing, how Dutch women perceive their pregnancy planning in relation to preconceptional lifestyle behaviour change - a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Unhealthy prenatal lifestyle behaviours are associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, but little is known about what motivates women to comply with preconceptional lifestyle recommendations or consciously plan their pregnancy. Therefore, the objective of this study is to explore the associations between preconceptional lifestyle behaviours, health beliefs and pregnancy planning among Dutch pregnant women.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study based on the data of the APROPOS-II study, 1,077 low-risk pregnant women were eligible for inclusion. Preconception lifestyle behaviours and actively preparing for pregnancy were assessed in relation to planned pregnancies (based on the London Measure of Unplanned Pregnancies) and health beliefs (14 statements). The following preconceptional lifestyle behaviours were assessed through a self-administered questionnaire in the first trimester of pregnancy: fruit intake, vegetable intake, caffeine intake, (second-hand)smoking, alcohol intake, folic acid supplement use and exercise. Data were analysed using multivariate logistic regression analyses.

RESULTS

A total of 921 (85.5%) women in our cohort had a planned pregnancy. However, of these women, 640 (69.5%) adequately used folic acid supplements and 465 (50.5%) women consumed alcohol at any point during pregnancy. Of the women considering themselves 'healthy enough and not needing preconception care', 48 (9.1%) women had an adequate vegetable intake, 294 (55.6%) women consumed alcohol at any point during pregnancy and 161 (30.4%) women were either over-or underweight.

CONCLUSION

Despite consciously planning their pregnancy, most women did not adhere to preconceptional lifestyle behaviour recommendations. Women's health beliefs and overestimation of their health status seem to interfere with actively planning and preparing for pregnancy. Findings from our study may encourage the development of prospective health-promoting interventions that focus on health beliefs and actively preparing for pregnancy, to improve preconceptional lifestyle behaviours, thereby optimizing the health of future generations.

Growing and Glowing: A Digital Media Campaign to Increase Access to Pregnancy-Related Health Information for Black Women During the COVID-19 Pandemic

BACKGROUND

Low birthweight is a health issue disproportionately experienced by Black women. In Hillsborough County, Florida, Black women experience higher rates of low birthweight compared to the rest of Florida. This study examines the feasibility of a second attempt to use a digital low birthweight campaign to increase knowledge about low birthweight and pregnancy among Black women in Hillsborough.

METHODS

Content for the Growing and Glowing campaign was delivered on social media through a web series with local prenatal care providers and educational images. Two cross-sectional surveys examined changes in pregnancy-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors among Black women in Hillsborough. Digital metrics showed campaign reach and engagement.

RESULTS

Growing and Glowing attained 1,234 followers, 805,437 impressions, and a reach of 19,875. Web series videos were viewed almost 27,000 times, with 89% average viewer retention. The website attracted 2,634 unique page views. Evaluation surveys showed significant improvements in positive pregnancy-related intentions. Women aware of the campaign showed significantly higher awareness of the importance of prenatal care, and higher awareness of local resources.

CONCLUSION

Results from the second study of this campaign approach suggest that using a highly targeted digital intervention can be a well-received and potentially effective way to deliver pregnancy-related health information to Black women, even during a global pandemic. This approach has numerous benefits in reaching women who may fall outside traditional health marketing approaches.

Analysis of the Weight Management Behavior of Chinese Pregnant Women: An Integration of the Protection Motivation Theory and the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills Model

Inappropriate gestational weight gain has become a public health concern that threatens maternal and child health. Pregnant women's ability to manage their weight during pregnancy directly impacts their weight gain. In this study, we integrated the protection motivation theory and the information-motivation-behavioral skills model to develop an integrative theoretical model suitable for pregnancy weight management and reveal significant explainable factors of weight management behaviors during pregnancy. Based on a cross-sectional survey of 550 pregnant women from Jiangsu province, we came up with our findings. The results showed that several factors influenced pregnancy weight management behavior. According to the research, information, self-efficacy, response costs, and behavioral skills were significantly associated with weight management behaviors during pregnancy, while behavioral skills were also significant mediators of information, self-efficacy, and behavior. Furthermore, the information related to pregnancy weight management had the biggest impact on weight management behavior during pregnancy. The results of the model fit were acceptable and the integrative model could explain 30.6% of the variance of weight management behavior during pregnancy, which implies that the integrative theoretical model can effectively explain and predict weight management behaviors during pregnancy. Our study provides practical implications for the integrative model in improving pregnancy weight management behavior and offers a theoretical base for the weight management of pregnant women.

Association Between Maternal Body Mass and Physical Activity Counseling During Pregnancy

Aims: The antenatal period provides an important opportunity for giving advice on healthy lifestyle choices. However, the prevalence of maternal obesity is increasing, and women report that they do not receive counseling. We investigated the information given to pregnant women on gestational weight gain, physical activity, and nutrition during pregnancy in relation with their initial weight status, current gestational weight gain and diagnoses of either pre-pregnancy overweight/obesity or excessive gestational weight gain. Methods: Cross-sectional survey using a questionnaire. Pregnant participants (n = 141) were recruited from a midwife center. They completed a structured questionnaire on the information they received during their pregnancy and we assessed its relationship with their weight. Results: We found that many pregnant women did not receive advice about physical activity, gestational weight gain and nutrition (37.5, 53.2, and 66.2%, respectively). Women with weight problems (pre-pregnancy overweight/obesity and excessive gestational weight gain) were less targeted for counseling, although more than 80% of the women viewed receiving information on these topics as positive. Also, being informed of a weight problem was associated with a greater chance of receiving information about physical activity, gestational weight gain and nutrition (all p < 0.05). However, verbalization of the weight problems was low (14.0% of women with pre-pregnancy overweight were informed of their status). Conclusion: Health professionals should dispense more information, especially on PA and particularly for women with weight problems. Verbalization of the weight problem seems associated with more frequent transmission of information.

Call to Action: Maternal Health and Saving Mothers: A Policy Statement From the American Heart Association

The United States has the highest maternal mortality rates among developed countries, and cardiovascular disease is the leading cause. Therefore, the American Heart Association has a unique role in advocating for efforts to improve maternal health and to enhance access to and delivery of care before, during, and after pregnancy. Several initiatives have shaped the time course of major milestones in advancing maternal and reproductive health equity in the United States. There have been significant strides in improving the timeliness of data reporting in maternal mortality surveillance and epidemiological programs in maternal and child health, yet more policy reforms are necessary. To make a sustainable and systemic impact on maternal health, further efforts are necessary at the societal, institutional, stakeholder, and regulatory levels to address the racial and ethnic disparities in maternal health, to effectively reduce inequities in care, and to mitigate maternal morbidity and mortality. In alignment with American Heart Association's mission "to be a relentless force for longer, healthier lives," this policy statement outlines the inequities that influence disparities in maternal outcomes and current policy approaches to improving maternal health and suggests additional potentially impactful actions to improve maternal outcomes and ultimately save mothers' lives.

Prevalence of and risk factors for excess weight gain in pregnancy: a cross-sectional study using survey data

BACKGROUND

Maternal weight gain during pregnancy is required for fetal development; however, excess gestational weight gain is associated with increased maternal and neonatal morbidity. We aimed to determine the proportion of Canadian women who gained excess weight during pregnancy and to identify risk factors for excess gestational weight gain.

METHODS

Self-reported data on maternal weight gain were collected from the 2015/16 and 2017/18 cycles of the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS), a cross-sectional population-based survey. We included females aged 15 to 54 years with data on height, prepregnancy weight and gestational weight gain. We defined excess gestational weight gain in terms of preconception body mass index (BMI) according to the 2009 guideline of the US Institute of Medicine. We used logistic regression to evaluate potential risk factors for excess gestational weight gain.

RESULTS

Of 1 335 615 Canadian women (weighted from approximately 9300 survey respondents), 422 043 (32%) gained excess weight during pregnancy. Women with obesity had 33% lower odds of gaining excess weight relative to women with overweight (odds ratio 0.67, 95% confidence interval 0.48-0.94). Risk factors for excess gestational weight gain were lower education level, white or Indigenous identity, smoking, mood disorder, anxiety disorder and Canadian citizenship.

INTERPRETATION

One-third of Canadian women in this survey had excess gestational weight gain during pregnancy, and women with obesity had lower odds of gaining excess weight during pregnancy relative to women with overweight. Strategies are needed to reduce the proportion of Canadian women who gain excess weight during pregnancy, regardless of preconception BMI.

Identifying Mobile Health Technology Experiences and Preferences of Low-Income Pregnant Women with Diabetes

BACKGROUND

Rapid expansion of mobile technology has resulted in the development of many mobile health ("mHealth") platforms for health monitoring and support. However, applicability, desirability, and extent of tailoring of these platforms for pregnant women, particularly in populations who experience the greatest health inequities-such as women with diabetes mellitus (DM) and/or those with greater socioeconomic barriers-remains unknown. The objective is to understand low-income pregnant women's experiences and preferences for mHealth tools to support DM health and improve DM self-management during pregnancy.

METHODS

Low-income pregnant and postpartum women were included in individual interviews or focus groups; women with type 2 DM, gestational DM, or no DM were included. Analysis was performed with the constant comparison method.

RESULTS

In this population of 45 (N=37 with DM) low-income, largely minority, pregnant and postpartum women, 100% reported access to smartphones and prior experience with apps. Interest in mHealth to support health and engagement during pregnancy was high. Preferences for general mHealth features included education that reduces uncertainty, support communities, visualizing progress, convenient access to information, and support for better management of pregnancy-related tasks. Preferred design elements included personalization, interactive features, and integrated graphics. Women with DM expressed multiple additional DM-specific needs, including support tools for DM self-management and self-regulation tasks.

CONCLUSION

Pregnant and postpartum women, especially those with DM, desire mHealth technology to support engagement and to adapt lifestyle guidelines and treatment requirements for a healthy pregnancy. Further work to develop mHealth interventions tailored for target populations remains a key step in reducing health inequities and promoting access to evidence-based perinatal health interventions.

What Are Patients Watching? A Quality and Content Evaluation of YouTube Videos About Gestational Diabetes. (Preprint)

BACKGROUND

People with gestational diabetes have enhanced learning requirements during pregnancy, and management of their disease often requires the translation of health information into new health behavior changes. Seeking information from the internet to augment learning from health professionals is becoming more common during pregnancy. YouTube is a popular free and accessible web-based resource, which may be particularly useful for individuals with low health literacy or other barriers to receiving high-quality health care; however, the quality and content of YouTube videos varies, and little is known about those covering gestational diabetes.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to systematically evaluate the quality, content, and reliability of YouTube videos about gestational diabetes.

METHODS

A systematic search of YouTube videos was conducted over the course of 1 week in April 2020 using the following keywords: "gestational diabetes," "gestational diabetes management," "gestational diabetes treatment," and "pregnancy and diabetes." The search results were displayed by relevance, replicating a default YouTube search attempt. The first 60 results from each keyword were reviewed (n=240). Exclusion criteria were videos unrelated to gestational diabetes, videos not in English, and those for which the full video was not available at the time of review. For each unique video, a gestational diabetes content score was used to rate video comprehensiveness and accuracy, and the DISCERN instrument, a validated metric to assess consumer health information, was used to evaluate the reliability of information presented. Videos were further categorized by quality: videos with DISCERN scores lower than 3 (out of 5) or a content score less than 4 (out of 7) were categorized as low quality, and all others were designated high quality. We performed descriptive analysis and compared video characteristics by source and quality rating.

RESULTS

For 115 unique videos, the mean content score (out of 7) was 3.5 (SD 2.0) , and the mean DISCERN score (out of 5) was 2.7 (SD 0.7), representing low to moderate information comprehensiveness and reliability respectively. Video sources were categorized as personal vlog (12/115, 10.4%), web-based education (37/115, 32.2%), medical (52/115, 45.2%), business or company (13/115, 11.3%), and media clip (1/115, 0.9%). DISCERN and content scores trended higher among medical and web-based education videos. The majority of videos (n=88) were categorized as low quality, while 27 videos were categorized as high quality. Video duration was longer for high-quality videos (P<.001); high- and low-quality videos otherwise had similar views and viewer interaction numbers.

CONCLUSIONS

Although high-quality videos about gestational diabetes exist, reliability, accuracy, and comprehensiveness were low overall, and higher quality was not associated with increased viewer interaction. It is important to acknowledge the limitations of this platform and to assist patients in accessing high quality content and differentiating the quality of information sources.

Midwives' and obstetricians' perspectives about pregnancy related weight management in Ethiopia: A qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Midwives and obstetricians are key maternity care providers; they are the most trusted source of information regarding nutrition and gestational weight gain. However, their views, practices and perceived barriers to managing pregnancy related weight gain have not been studied in Ethiopia. The aim of this study was to explore midwives' and obstetricians' observations and perspectives about gestational weight gain and postpartum weight management in Ethiopia.

METHODS

We conducted face-to-face interviews with 11 midwives and 10 obstetricians, from January 2019 to March 2019. All interview data were transcribed verbatim. We analysed the data using thematic analysis with an inductive approach.

RESULTS

We identified three themes and associated subthemes. Midwives and obstetricians had limited knowledge of the optimal gestational weight gain. Almost all participants were unaware of the presence of the Institute of Medicine recommendations for optimal weight gain in pregnancy. According to the study participants, women in Ethiopia do not want to gain weight during pregnancy, but do want to gain weight after the birth. Counselling about gestational weight gain and postpartum weight management was not routinely provided for pregnant women. This is mostly because gestational weight gain counselling was not considered to be a priority by maternity care providers in Ethiopia.

CONCLUSIONS

The limited knowledge of and low attention to pregnancy related weight management by midwives and obstetricians in this setting needs appropriate intervention. Adapting a guideline for pregnancy weight management and integrating it into antenatal care is essential.

Building Strong Futures: The Feasibility of Using a Targeted Digital Media Campaign to Improve Knowledge About Pregnancy and Low Birthweight Among Black Women

Objective

Low birthweight is one of the main causes of poor health outcomes among newborns, with Black women having a disproportionately high prevalence. A digital intervention targeted Black women in Orange County, Florida with information on positive pregnancy-related knowledge and attitudes related to low birthweight. This paper reports on campaign methods for the first 2.5 years of implementation.

Methods

Campaign content was tailored toward Black women, around a reproductive empowerment lens. Content focused on emphasizing healthy pregnancy-related behaviors and creating positive representations of Black women throughout the various stages of pregnancy through both static images and a web series. Digital metrics gauged campaign engagement. Three cross-sectional online surveys conducted in the intervention county examined Black women’s pregnancy-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors.

Results

After two years of campaign implementation, social media accounts showed 1784 followers. While Facebook showed more average monthly impressions, Instagram showed more average monthly engagements. Survey results showed some increases in knowledge about prenatal care, weight gain, exercise, and the health impacts of low birthweight.

Conclusions for Practice

This study highlights the potential for a culturally-appropriate digital intervention to promote positive pregnancy outcomes among at-risk women. Digital interventions offer a potential way to achieve positive pregnancy-related behavior changes on a larger scale. This may be particularly important given that the COVID-19 pandemic may be changing the ways that pregnant women access information. Studies should examine the impact and feasibility of using culturally-appropriate digital interventions that directly address Black women and their specific experiences during pregnancy.

Methodological quality of clinical practice guidelines for nutrition and weight gain during pregnancy: a systematic review

CONTEXT

Ensuring a healthy pregnancy and achieving optimal gestational weight gain (GWG) are important for maternal and child health. Nevertheless, the nutritional advice provided during pregnancy is often conflicting, suggesting limited adherence to clinical practice guidelines (CPGs).

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this review was to identify all CPGs on maternal nutrition and GWG and to critically appraise their methodological quality.

DATA SOURCES

The MEDLINE/PubMed, Cochrane, Guidelines International Network, and BMJ Best Practice databases, along with gray literature, were searched from inception until February 2019 for CPGs and consensus, position, and practice papers.

STUDY SELECTION

Clinical practice guidelines published in English and containing advice on maternal nutrition or GWG were eligible.

DATA EXTRACTION

Two authors independently extracted data on items pertaining to maternal nutrition or GWG, and CPGs were appraised using the AGREE II instrument.

RESULTS

Twenty-two CPGs were included. All scored adequately in the "scope" domain, but most were considered inadequate with regard to stakeholder involvement, rigor of development, applicability, and editorial independence. Many CPGs lacked patient or dietician involvement, and more than half did not disclose funding sources or conflicts of interest. Guidance on GWG was based mostly on Institute of Medicine thresholds, while nutrition recommendations appeared scattered and heterogeneous.

CONCLUSION

Despite the importance of maternal nutrition and the plethora of advising bodies publishing relevant guidance, there is room for substantial improvement in terms of development standards and content of nutritional recommendations.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

PROSPERO registration number CRD42019120898.

Maternal obesity and its determinants: A neglected issue?

Maternal obesity is a global public health concern that affects every aspect of maternity care. It affects the short-term and long-term health of the mother and her offspring. Obese pregnant mothers are at an increased risk of developing complications during antenatal, intrapartum, and postnatal periods. Maternal complications include gestational diabetes mellitus, hypertensive disorder in pregnancy, pre-eclampsia and eclampsia, increased rate of cesarean delivery, pulmonary embolism, and maternal mortality; fetal complications include congenital malformation, stillbirth, and macrosomia. Moreover, both mother and infant are at an increased risk of developing subsequent non-communicable diseases and cardiovascular problems later in life. Several factors are associated with the likelihood of maternal obesity, including sociodemographic characteristics, obstetric characteristics, knowledge, and perception of health-promoting behavior. Gaining a sound understanding of these factors is vital to reaching the targets of Sustainable Developmental Goal 3-to reduce global maternal mortality and end preventable deaths of children under 5 years of age-by 2030. It is essential to identify pregnant women who are at risk of maternal obesity in order to plan and implement effective and timely interventions for optimal pregnancy outcomes. Importantly, maternal obesity as a significant pregnancy risk factor is largely modifiable.

An exploratory Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) of childbearing women's perceptions of risk associated with having a high Body Mass Index (BMI)

BACKGROUND

In 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO) labelled 13% of the world's adult population as obese. This increase in obesity is accompanied by mortality and morbidity problems, with maternal obesity and its accompanying risk for mother and infant requiring to be carefully managed.

AIM

To explore childbearing women with a high BMI (>35 kg/m²) perceptions of risk and its potential impacts upon pregnancy and outcome.

METHOD

Qualitative Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was used to gain deeper understanding of the lived experiences of childbearing women with a BMI>35 kg/m² and perceptions of their risk and potential pregnancy outcome.

FINDINGS

One of the superordinate themes that emerged was (1) Risk or no risk, and its associated three subthemes of (1a) Emotional consequences of her risky position, (1b) Recognition of high-risk complicationsfinally sinking in, and (1c) Accepting the risk body.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PRACTICE

In general, health care professionals are uncomfortable about discussing obesity-associated risks with pregnant women. The participants in this study did not classify themselves as obese, with this absence of acknowledgement and 'risky talk' leaving participants' unaware of their obesity-associated risk. This downplaying of obesity related talk requires to be corrected, simply because women in denial will perceive no need to engage with health promotion messages. In response, directives are required to be embedded into policy and practice.

CONCLUSION

Specific training is required to teach maternity care professionals how to have difficult, sensitive conversations about obesity related risks with childbearing women with high BMI's. In addition, this risk information needs to be accompanied by relevant advice and support.

Content Validation through Expert Judgement of an Instrument on the Nutritional Knowledge, Beliefs, and Habits of Pregnant Women

The aim of this study was to conduct content validation through expert judgement of an instrument which explores the nutritional knowledge, beliefs, and habits during pregnancy. This is a psychometric study in which 14 experts participated in the evaluation of each of the questionnaire items, which were divided into two blocks according to the characteristics of sufficiency, clarity, coherence, and relevance. Fleiss’ κ statistic was used to measure strength of agreement. A pre-test with 102 participants was conducted to measure the degree of understandability of the instrument. The strength of agreement obtained for each of the dimensions was almost perfect. For each pair of experts, strength of agreement ranged between substantial and almost perfect. Sufficiency was the characteristic of the questionnaire that obtained the highest values in the two blocks, and was also the most statistically significant (p < 0.001). Coherence was the most statistically significant characteristic in the first block (p = 0.030). Clarity was the most statistically significant characteristic in the second block (p = 0.037). The wording of five of the twenty original items was corrected. The new version of the instrument attained a high degree of understandability. The results suggest that the instrument is valid and may therefore be applied.

Midwife readiness to provide woman-centred weight gain support: Exploring perspectives across models of care

PROBLEM

More than half of women start pregnancy above a healthy weight and two-thirds gain excess weight during pregnancy, increasing the risk of complications.

BACKGROUND

Little research has examined the influence model of care has on weight-related outcomes in pregnancy.

AIM

To explore how continuity vs non-continuity models of midwifery care influence perceived readiness to provide woman-centred interventions with women supporting pregnancy weight gain, healthy eating and physical activity.

METHODS

Focus groups were conducted with midwives working in either continuity or non-continuity models of care at a tertiary hospital in Queensland, Australia. Focus group questions elicited elements around practices, the healthcare environment and woman-centred care skills. Findings were analysed using the Framework Approach to qualitative research.

FINDINGS

Four focus groups, involving 15 participants from the continuity of care model and 53 from the non-continuity model, were conducted. Continuity of care participants reported greater readiness to provide woman-centred interventions than those from non-continuity models. Barriers faced by both groups included gaps in communication training, education resources and multidisciplinary support.

DISCUSSION

Midwives across models of care require greater support in this area, in particular training in communication and better multidisciplinary service integration to support women.

CONCLUSION

The care model appears to influence capacity to deliver person/woman-centred interventions, highlighting the need for tailored training for the healthcare setting. The roles of other health professionals in delivering weight management interventions during pregnancy also need to be examined.

Evaluation of questionnaire as an instrument to measure the level of nutritional and weight gain knowledge in pregnant women in Poland. A pilot study

Pregnancy is a period in life in which women are willing to improve their lifestyle. Providing proper information for these women is crucial for their health and the health of their offspring. Clear information about weak points in their nutritional and weight gain knowledge is the first step for proper health care assistance. There are a few previous studies evaluating the nutritional and weight gain knowledge of pregnant women. In the few studies available, different approaches were taken and there was no wider discussion on the content of the questionnaires attempting to measure level of knowledge. The aim of this study, designed in a pilot fashion, was to test the adequacy of the questionnaire as a research instrument in a group of 139 pregnant Polish women. The developed instrument is a 33-item questionnaire comprising four domains: weight gain, importance of nutrients, quality and quantity of food intake. The results of this study indicate that the questionnaire is stable and internal consistency is acceptable (Cronbach’s alpha > 0.7) for dimensions with more than four items. For dimensions with less than four items, internal consistency was poor (Cronbach’s alpha < 0.7). The cumulative explained variance for domains weight gain, importance of nutrients, quantity and quality of food intake was 54.74%, 42.74%, 54.42% and 48.99% respectively. Results from validity, reliability and factor analysis indicate that the questionnaire is adequate for its purpose.

Nutrition information in pregnancy: Where do women seek advice and has this changed over time?

AIM

Nutrition during pregnancy is fundamental to both the health of the mother and her baby. Sources of nutrition-related information are available via many sources but their accuracy is unknown. The present study aimed to (a) identify where women source their nutrition information during pregnancy and (2) assess the accuracy of nutrition information for pregnancy that is available on the internet.

METHODS

A survey instrument that identified the main sources of nutrition information was administered to 68 pregnant women recruited online. Data from this survey were compared to previous similar surveys conducted with pregnant mothers across years 2008, 2011 and 2014. A content analysis of websites was simultaneously conducted to assess the accuracy of available information.

RESULTS

The main source of nutrition information for a variety of topics was verbal communication from health professionals (% responses affirmative for that source ranged from 6.6% to 69% across survey years). There was an increasing trend in internet sourced information for most nutrition topics, but this source remained low for iodine across all years (range: 7.3%-15.9%). The internet was the main source of information for listeria/food safety (15.3%-32.4%) and healthy eating (25%-42%). Of the n = 165 websites identified by the content analysis, 82.4% (n = 136) were rated as accurate, with government (96.9%) and business/company (100%) sites having the highest accuracy.

CONCLUSION

Verbal communication from health professionals remains the most important source of nutrition information for pregnancy. The high credibility of websites indicates this to be an additional resource. Further study into health literacy levels among women visiting these sites is needed to assess impact on dietary behaviour.

Awareness of Pregnancy-Associated Health Risks Among Pregnant Women and Male Partners Surveyed in a Prenatal Clinic

Background: Underestimation of pregnancy-associated health risks could compromise informed decision-making and reduce demand for preconception care. We assessed the knowledge of pregnant women and male partners about several health risks posed by pregnancy to identify potential gaps in reproductive health literacy. Materials and Methods: Pregnant women and male partners were surveyed about their knowledge of seven common health risks associated with pregnancy (venous thromboembolism [VTE], diabetes, gallstones, hemorrhoids, hypertension [HTN], kidney infection, and anemia) in either English or Spanish in a prenatal clinic at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Torrance, California. Results: The response rate for women was estimated to be 66% and was 85% for men. Of the 285 respondents, 5.0% of women and 5.6% of men were able to correctly report that all seven health risks increased during pregnancy. Overall, 30.6% of women and 24% of men recognized that pregnancy increased the risks of the three most serious conditions (VTE, diabetes, and HTN). While higher education was associated with a higher awareness of these three serious risks, the majority of individuals with the highest education nonetheless incorrectly reported that these risks were reduced or unchanged in pregnancy. Age, parity, language, gender, and gestational age did not impact study findings. Overall, 77.9% of respondents rated oral birth control pills more hazardous to a woman's health than pregnancy. Conclusions: Surveyed pregnant women and male partners have significant knowledge deficiencies concerning common and serious health hazards associated with pregnancy that may hamper women's ability to make informed choices about their reproductive health options.

"…or else I close my ears" How women with obesity want to be approached and treated regarding gestational weight management: A qualitative interview study

INTRODUCTION

The importance of helping pregnant women maintain a healthy lifestyle and prevent excessive gestational weight gain is well recognized, but pregnant women do not always perceive communication about body weight as respectful or helpful. Furthermore, fear of inducing shame or guilt can prohibit some midwives from talking about body weight, especially if the woman has obesity. We aimed to explore what women of reproductive age with obesity regard to be the most important and relevant aspects when discussing gestational weight management.

METHODS

Qualitative interview study using focus groups and individual semi-structured interviews with 17 women of reproductive age (19-39 y) with obesity. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data.

RESULTS

We identified three themes: 1) Importance of obtaining vital medical information; 2) A wish to feel understood and treated with respect; 3) Midwives' approach is crucial in sensitive key situations, which include bringing up the subject of body weight, weighing, providing weight-related information, coaching lifestyle modification, dealing with emotional reactions and ending a conversation.

CONCLUSIONS

A majority of the interviewed women wished to receive information about risks about obesity and gestational weight gain, and recommendations on weight management. However, the risk of midwives offending someone by raising the topic may be increased if the pregnant woman believe that gestational weight gain is uncontrollable by the individual. Also, several situations during maternity care meetings can be stigmatizing and make women less receptive to advice or support. Women suggest that a good working alliance is likely to be achieved if midwives have knowledge about the causes of obesity, take interest in the patients' background, have a non-judgmental approach and refrain from giving unsolicited advice.

Feasibility of conducting an early pregnancy diet and lifestyle e-health intervention: the Pregnancy Lifestyle Activity Nutrition (PLAN) project

BACKGROUND

Childhood obesity is a global issue. Excessive weight gain in early pregnancy is independently associated with obesity in the next generation. Given the uptake of e-health, our primary aim was to pilot the feasibility of an e-health intervention, starting in the first trimester, to promote healthy lifestyle and prevent excess weight gain in early pregnancy. Methods: Women were recruited between 8 and 11 weeks gestation and randomised to the intervention or routine antenatal care. The intervention involved an e-health program providing diet, physical activity and well-being advice over 12 weeks.

RESULTS

Women (n = 57, 43.9% overweight/obese) were recruited at 9.38 ± 1.12 (control) and 9.06 ± 1.29 (intervention) weeks' gestation, mainly from obstetric private practices (81.2%). Retention was 73.7% for the 12-week intervention, 64.9% at birth and 55.8% at 3 months after birth.No difference in gestational weight gain or birth size was detected. Overall treatment effect showed a mean increase in score ranking the perceived confidence of dietary change (1.2 ± 0.46, p = 0.009) and score ranking readiness to exercise (1.21 ± 0.51, p = 0.016) over the intervention. At 3 months, infants weighed less in the intervention group (5405 versus 6193 g, p = 0.008) and had a lower ponderal index (25.5 ± 3.0 versus 28.8 ± 4.0 kg/m3) compared with the control group.

CONCLUSION AND DISCUSSION

A lifestyle intervention starting in the first-trimester pregnancy utilising e-health mode of delivery is feasible. Future studies need strategies to target recruitment of participants of lower socio-economic status and ensure maximal blinding. Larger trials (using technology and focused on early pregnancy) are needed to confirm if decreased infant adiposity is maintained.

Obese women's perceptions of weight gain during pregnancy: a theory-based analysis

OBJECTIVE

Excess gestational weight gain (GWG) in obese women is linked to adverse maternal outcomes and is particularly pervasive among African Americans, who have the highest obesity rates in the USA. A better understanding of culturally relevant attitudes and perceptions of GWG is needed to develop targeted interventions to prevent excess GWG among this group.

DESIGN

Using the constructs of Social Cognitive Theory, we explored attitudes and perceptions surrounding diet and exercise among low-income obese African-American pregnant women in Baltimore. We conducted twenty-one semi-structured in-depth interviews with pregnant adult women.

SETTING

Participants were recruited from a referral clinic for obese pregnant women at a large urban hospital in Baltimore, MD, USA.

PARTICIPANTS

Twenty-one low-income African-American adult females in the first two trimesters of pregnancy with BMI > 30·0 kg/m2.

RESULTS

Lack of knowledge was not the main obstacle to healthy behaviours during pregnancy. Rather, food cravings and fatigue, an unhealthy physical food environment, limited self-efficacy for controlling excessive GWG, and a lack of adequate emotional and informational support impacted women's agency. While digital technology was discussed as a vehicle to promote maintenance of a healthy weight in pregnancy, further research is needed to test how it can be used to empower women to engage in healthy behaviours during pregnancy.

CONCLUSION

Interventions to prevent excess GWG among African-American pregnant women should harness support from partners and family and must go beyond sharing of clinical knowledge to also include strategies that improve the food environment, diet quality and self-efficacy.

Piloting a Telephone Based Health Coaching Program for Pregnant Women: A Mixed Methods Study

Objectives Get Healthy in Pregnancy (GHiP) is a telephone based lifestyle coaching service for pregnant women, in New South Wales, Australia. GHiP had two service options; a telephone-based health coaching program consisting of up to 10 calls and information only (including one call). This study sought to compare the outcomes of the two GHiP options, to determine the characteristics of women likely to use the service and to explore the feedback from women and health professionals. Methods A pragmatic stratified clustered randomised controlled trial was conducted. Two metro and three rural hospitals were randomised into health coaching or information only arms. Self-reported measures of height and weight and health behaviours (dietary and physical activity) were collected at baseline and 36 weeks gestation. Process evaluation included descriptive analysis of routine program data, and semi-structured interviews with participants and health professionals. Results Of 3736 women screened, 1589 (42.5%) were eligible to participate, and of those eligible, 923 (58.1%) were recruited. More women in the health coaching arm gained weight within the target range for their BMI at 36 weeks gestation (42.9%) compared with information only (31.9%). Women found GHiP to be useful and supportive and midwives and doctors said that it facilitated conversations about weight with pregnant women. Conclusions for Practice Telephone-based lifestyle programs integrated with routine clinical care show promise in helping pregnant women achieve healthy gestational weight gain, but in this case was not significantly different from one information telephone call. Strong positive feedback suggests that scaled-up service delivery would be well received. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ACTRN12615000397516 (retrospectively registered).

Women's recall of health care provider counselling on gestational weight gain (GWG): a prospective, population-based study

BACKGROUND

Prenatal care has been validated to provide medical and educational counselling intended to reduce the risk of adverse pregnancy conditions and improve the maternal and fetal outcomes. Prenatal targeted information regarding nutrition, lifestyle, and weight gain is predictive of meeting Institute of Medicine (IOM) 2009 gestational weight gain (GWG) guidelines. There is limited information about women's experiences with these prenatal counselling domains, particularly in women who do not meet GWG recommendations. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of women's recall of prenatal counselling and its effect on meeting their GWG within guidelines in a prospective, community-based pregnancy cohort.

METHODS

A sample of 2909 women with singleton pregnancies was drawn from the prospective community-based pregnancy cohort All Our Families from Alberta, Canada. Women were stratified into three GWG groups, adequate, inadequate, and excessive GWG, based on pre-pregnancy BMI and the adherence to the Institute of Medicine weight gain in pregnancy guidelines. At less than 25 and 34 to 36 weeks' gestation, maternal socio-demographic information and women's recall of prenatal counselling experiences was collected through self-administered questionnaires. Multivariate logistic regression analyses tested GWG strata impact on women's recall of the prenatal counselling advice in eight domains of nutrition, lifestyle, and weight management during pregnancy.

RESULTS

Adequate GWG was reached by 35.9% of women, 46.5% gained excessive and 17.6% gained inadequate weight. Women who were overweight and obese prior to pregnancy were more likely to gain excessive weight than women who were normal weight (OR 3.3, 95% CI 2.6-4.1; and OR 2.9, 95% CI 2.1-3.9, respectively). Most women reported having no difficulties in finding prenatal care, felt comfortable with their health care provider and were satisfied with the answers received. There was no difference in the recall of prenatal advice received in any of the eight domains of prenatal counselling assessed among women with appropriate and non-optimal GWG.

CONCLUSION

Women with adequate and non-optimal GWG received comparable prenatal counselling on nutrition, weight gain, and lifestyle modifications. There remain missed opportunities in targeting prenatal counselling advice to women at risk for suboptimal or excessive GWG.

The nutrition-related information seeking behaviours and attitudes of pregnant women with a high BMI: A qualitative study

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of high body mass index is increasing amongst women of child bearing age. High maternal body mass index has ramifications for both mother and baby including increased health risks from gestational diabetes mellitus, caesarean section and stillbirth. Despite the increasing prevalence of high maternal body mass index little is known of the experiences of these women regarding nutrition information access and use during the antenatal period.

METHODS

A qualitative study using individual interviews was undertaken at a tertiary hospital in south-eastern Australia. Twenty-Eight women with a body mass index ≥30kg/m² participated. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, cross-checked for consistency and entered into a word processing document for further scrutiny. Data was analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). In any phenomenological study the researcher's objective is to elicit the participant's views on their lived experiences.

FINDINGS

Three major themes emerged: (1) Nutrition-related information attainment; (2) Nutrition-related information management; (3) Nutrition-related information needs and wants.

CONCLUSION

The findings from this study may assist the future development and dissemination of nutrition-related information for pregnant women with a high body mass index. Women want more individualised support regarding nutritional requirements during pregnancy.

Designing an educational intervention to prevent excessive gestational weight gain: a protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Pregnancy as one of the critical stages of life carries a high risk to the health of pregnant women. The amount of weight gained during pregnancy can affect the woman and her infant health immediately or in the future. The present study is conducted to design and explore the effectiveness of an educational intervention based on health belief model (HBM) to preventing excessive gestational weight gain (GWG).

METHODS

This research-based planning is designed in three phases and will be conducted on pregnant women in first trimester. In the first phase of this randomized controlled trial study, body mass index (BMI), the level of knowledge and the level of the HBM constructs will be measured using a questionnaire. The HBM questionnaire is designed based on a literature review and experts opinions. In the next phase the educational program content will be designed based on the results of the first phase of the study on the level of women's knowledge, and HBM constructs as well as a literature review and experts opinions. The intervention will be designed in four training sessions about the importance of behaviors, especially physical activity and nutrition, in the prevention of excessive weight gain during pregnancy. The tired phase includes the implementation of educational intervention with two intervention and control groups. The efficacy of the program will be evaluated by measuring the level of the knowledge, HBM constructs and women's weight gain during pregnancy in the second and third trimesters. Appreciate weight gain will be considered according to the BMI in first trimester.

DISCUSSION

The present study will provide strong information regarding the effetiness of the HBM and appropriate framework to develop educational interventions together with enhancing pregnant women's knowledge and belief toward weight management behaviors.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Registration of this randomized control trial has been completed with the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials, IRCT20180703040325N1 . Date of registration: 2018-08-20.

Digital Marketing to Promote Healthy Weight Gain Among Pregnant Women in Alberta: An Implementation Study

Background

As the use of digital media for health promotion has become increasingly common, descriptive studies exploring current and innovative marketing strategies can enhance the understanding of effective strategies and best practices.

Objective

This study aims to describe the implementation of a provincial digital media campaign using complementary advertising platforms to promote healthy pregnancy weight gain messages and direct a Web audience to a credible website.

Methods

The digital media campaign occurred in 3 phases, each for 8 weeks, and consisted of search engine marketing using Google AdWords and social media advertising through Facebook. All advertising materials directed users to evidence-based pregnancy-related weight gain content on the Healthy Parents, Healthy Children website.

Results

Google Ads received a total of 43,449 impressions, 2522 clicks, and an average click-through rate (CTR) of 5.80%. Of people who clicked on a Google ad, 78.9% (1989/2522) completed an action on the website. Across all Facebook advertisements, there were 772,263 impressions, 14,482 clicks, and an average CTR of 1.88%. The highest-performing advertisement was an image of a group of diverse pregnant women with the headline “Pregnancy weight is not the same for every woman.”

Conclusions

This study supports the use of digital marketing as an important avenue for delivering health messages and directing Web users to credible sources of information. The opportunity to reach large, yet targeted audiences, along with the ability to monitor and evaluate metrics to optimize activities throughout a campaign is a powerful advantage over traditional marketing tactics. Health organizations can use the results and insights of this study to help inform the design and implementation of similar Web-based activities.

Curbing excess gestational weight gain in primary care: using a point-of-care tool based on behavior change theory

Introduction

Excess gestational weight gain (GWG) is a risk factor for several adverse outcomes for mothers and their offspring. In Nova Scotia, Canada, approximately 60% of women experience excess GWG. Outside the pregnancy arena, a patient-centered approach has been shown to promote increased patient adherence to clinician recommendations, and increased intentions for, and attempts at, behavior change. The 5As of Healthy Pregnancy Weight Gain is a tool that assists clinicians to have patient-centered discussions about GWG. This feasibility trial examined the association between training in the use of this tool and women’s self-efficacy to manage GWG, readiness to adhere to GWG guidelines, perception of their clinicians’ patient-centeredness when discussing GWG, and guideline concordance of total GWG.

Method

Participants were 11 family physicians who provide prenatal care and 24 of their patients who were pregnant. Physicians were randomly assigned to a single 60-minute training session in the use of the tool or usual care. Consenting patients completed measures of social support, stress, patient-perceived patient-centeredness, self-efficacy, and motivation. At the end of each woman’s pregnancy, data pertaining to guideline concordance of GWG were collected.

Results

Comparison of patient participants with prenatal care providers in the trained and untrained groups showed no significant difference in patient-perceived physician patient-centeredness when discussing GWG, self-efficacy to manage GWG, readiness to adhere to GWG guidelines, or GWG congruence with the guidelines.

Conclusion

This feasibility study required very little time commitment and entailed minimal disruption to clinicians’ practices. Nonetheless, it was very difficult to recruit clinicians for the study. Although recent theory-driven work showed that prenatal care providers have, overall, high perceived self-efficacy in discussing GWG with their patients, most studies have demonstrated that these providers do not often discuss GWG with their patients; so, there is clearly a mismatch in their perceived self-efficacy and what actually transpires.

Dietary Changes Albertan Women Make During Pregnancy: Thematic Analysis of Self-reported Changes and Reasons

PURPOSE

To explore dietary changes Albertan women make during pregnancy, reasons they make changes, and alignment with prenatal nutrition recommendations.

METHODS

Women up to 6 months postpartum were recruited in public health centres and Primary Care Networks. Qualitative data were collected through a self-administered survey including 2 open-ended questions that asked about changes made to food/beverage intake during pregnancy and why these changes were made.

RESULTS

A majority (n = 577) of the 737 women completing the survey described changes they made to their food/beverage intake during pregnancy and 193 respondents provided reasons for these changes. Increased intake of fruits/vegetables, meat, milk, and their alternatives (n = 600); limiting or avoidance of foods/beverages known to be harmful during pregnancy (n = 445); and increased food/fluid intake or meal/snack frequency (n = 405) were commonly reported dietary changes. Motivations relating to health and to control physiological changes/manage health conditions were the most frequent reasons provided.

CONCLUSIONS

Women make diverse dietary changes and have various motivations for food choices during pregnancy. A majority make dietary changes to support a healthy pregnancy. However, the motivation to control discomforts and respond to hunger and thirst sensations reflect a stronger influencer on women's choices than is currently addressed in prenatal nutrition messages.

Conduct and reporting of acceptability, attitudes, beliefs and experiences of pregnant women in randomised trials on diet and lifestyle interventions: A systematic review

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the conduct and reporting of views of pregnant women on the acceptability, attitudes, beliefs and their experiences in randomised trials on diet and lifestyle interventions.

STUDY DESIGN

We undertook a systematic review of literature of randomised trials identified from our previous search in major electronic databases (until February 2017) without language restrictions. We included trials on diet and lifestyle interventions that reported acceptability, attitudes, beliefs and experiences of pregnant women. The quality of papers was evaluated using the Critical Skills Appraisal Programme (CASP) framework. Data were extracted for the following domains: acceptability, intention, behaviour, attitudes and factors influencing participation. The proportion of studies that reported the various components in each domain was reported in percentages.

RESULTS

Of the 110 trials on diet and lifestyle in pregnancy, 24 reported on views of pregnant women. Acceptability of the provided information to the woman was reported in 84% (20/24), compared to 12% (3/24) on acceptability to partner or to family. Mother's intention to adhere to intervention in pregnancy was reported in 68% (17/24) of studies vs.only 16% (4/24) on family's intentions to support adherence. Changes in mother's behaviour were reported for consuming specific components of diet such as nuts (8%, 2/24), olive oil (12%, 3/24) and fruit (40%, 10/24) vs. 16% (4/24) of trials reporting changes in family's behaviour. While knowledge of food ingredients (72%, 18/24), and attitude to gestational weight gain were commonly reported (66%, 16/24) in over two-thirds of studies, only half assessed attitude to participation in research (45%, 11/24). All studies reported facilitators for uptake of intervention such as personalised support (100%, 24/24), with half (52%, 13/24) on beliefs about weight, and less than 10% (2/24) about baby's health.

CONCLUSION

The focus on studies is mainly on the mother, and less on family. Further studies are needed with a holistic approach to ensure that such interventions when implemented are accepted by women and their families.

What do Pregnant Women Know About the Healthy Eating Guidelines for Pregnancy? A Web-Based Questionnaire

Objectives This study explored nutrition knowledge of pregnant women, and how it correlated with participant characteristics, their main sources of information and changes to their diet since becoming pregnant. Methods Pregnant women residing in Australia accessing pregnancy forums on the internet were invited to complete a web-based questionnaire on general nutrition and pregnancy-specific nutrition guidelines. Results Of the 165 eligible questionnaire responses, 114 were complete and included in the analysis. Pregnancy nutrition knowledge was associated with education (r s = 0.21, p < 0.05) and income (r s = 0.21, p < 0.05). Only 2 % of pregnant women achieved nutrition knowledge scores over 80 %. Few women received nutrition advice during their pregnancy, of which most were advised by their doctor. Dietary changes adopted since becoming pregnant included consuming more fruit, vegetables, dairy and high fibre foods. Conclusions for Practice Pregnant women in this study had limited knowledge of the dietary guidelines for healthy eating during pregnancy. Furthermore, nutrition counselling in maternity care appears to be infrequent. One approach to optimising maternal diets and subsequently preventing adverse health outcomes is to enhance their knowledge of the pregnancy nutrition guidelines through the provision of nutritional counselling. Furthermore, research exploring the access and use of nutrition resources, and nutrition advice provided to pregnant women is recommended to understand how knowledge impacts on dietary behaviour.

Pregnancy nutrition knowledge and experiences of pregnant women and antenatal care clinicians: A mixed methods approach

BACKGROUND

Dietary intake of pregnant women do not appear to meet the dietary recommendations. Nutrition knowledge and practices of pregnant women and their antenatal care clinicians are factors that may be influential on dietary intakes of pregnant women.

AIM

To assess and compare pregnancy nutrition recommendation knowledge and to explore how nutrition knowledge impacts on food choices in pregnant women and nutrition education practices of antenatal care providers.

METHODS

An explanatory sequential research mixed methods study design was applied. All participants were recruited from a metropolitan maternity hospital in Melbourne, Australia. The first phase assessed pregnancy nutrition knowledge and sources of nutrition information using a questionnaire (n=202) then followed semi-structured interviews with women and clinicians (n=31).

FINDINGS

The clinicians obtained significantly higher nutrition scores than compared to women, however, nutrition knowledge gaps were highlighted for both women and clinicians. Women reported receiving limited nutrition advice, a reflection of the clinicians reporting they provided limited nutrition advice.

CONCLUSION

A key challenge for women adhering to dietary recommendations was having inadequate knowledge of the dietary recommendations and receiving limited information from their care providers. Similarly, as well as time constraints, limited nutrition knowledge and a lack of nutrition training impacted on the capacity of clinicians to provide adequate nutrition education.

Prevalence and predictors of early gestational weight gain associated with obesity risk in a diverse Australian antenatal population: a cross-sectional study

Background

Excess gestational weight gain (GWG) leads to adverse short- and long-term consequences for women and their offspring. Evidence suggests that excess GWG in early pregnancy may be particularly detrimental, contributing to the intergenerational cycle of obesity. The primary outcome was to investigate the prevalence and predictors of excess GWG in early pregnancy, and if women understand the risks to themselves and their offspring stratified by maternal body mass index (BMI).

Methods

This was a secondary analysis (n = 2131) of a cross-sectional study (n = 2338) conducted over 6 months in 2015 of pregnant women attending antenatal clinics at four maternity hospitals across Sydney, Australia before 22 completed weeks gestation An self-completed questionnaire was used to investigate knowledge of expected weight gain in pregnancy, understanding of risks associated with excess GWG, self-reported anthropometric measures and socio-demographic data.

Results

One third (34.2%) of women gained weight in excess of the recommendations by 22 completed weeks gestation. Women who were overweight (OR: 1.69, 95% CI: 1.33–2.14) or obese (OR: 1.64, 95% CI: 1.20–2.24) pre-pregnancy were more likely to gain excess weight in early pregnancy compared to normal weight women; as were women from lower socio-economic areas (OR: 1.89, 95% CI: 1.49–2.41). Half (51%) the women were unsure about the effect of excess GWG on their baby; 11% did not believe that excess GWG would affect the weight of the baby and 14% did not believe that excess GWG would affect longer term outcomes for their baby. Women who gained weight above the recommendations were significantly more likely to believe that excessive GWG in pregnancy would not have any adverse future effect on health outcomes or weight of their baby.

Conclusions

The women at particular risk of excess early GWG are those who are overweight and obese and/or residing in lower socio-economic areas. These women need to be targeted for appropriate counselling preconception or in early pregnancy. Given the significant adverse outcomes associated with excess GWG in early pregnancy, preconception or early pregnancy counselling with respect to GWG and intervention research regarding best approach remains a public health priority.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12884-017-1482-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Measuring Adherence to a Nutrition and Exercise Lifestyle Intervention: Is Program Adherence Related to Excessive Gestational Weight Gain?

To identify adherence required to achieve target health outcome(s) in nutrition and/or exercise interventions, a measurement tool that tracks objective and self-reported measures of adherence is necessary. The purpose of this study was to design an adherence measurement tool and test it retrospectively on the Nutrition and Exercise Lifestyle Intervention Program (NELIP; Ruchat et al., Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 44(8), 1419-1426, 2012; Mottola et al., Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 42(2), 265-272, 2010), designed to prevent excessive gestational weight gain (EGWG). The tool was based on the goals of the NELIP and included a grading system for each behavior (exercise and nutrition). It was used to determine whether adherence scores could differentiate excessive versus acceptable weight gain during pregnancy across pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) categories. Results showed irrespective of pre-pregnancy BMI, women with acceptable weight gain had significantly higher adherence (p < 0.05) than women with excessive weight gain. It is recommended that this adherence tool be included in future prospective lifestyle intervention studies.

Women's perceptions of discussions about gestational weight gain with health care providers during pregnancy and postpartum: a qualitative study

Background

Maternal body weight is an indicator of the health of a mother and her developing fetus. Risks of poor maternal and fetal health issues increase when women gain too little or too much weight during pregnancy. A study of 600 women from Alberta, Canada, reported approximately 30, 46, 80, and 80% of underweight, healthy weight, overweight, and obese women, respectively, gained in excess of Health Canada gestational weight gain guidelines. Behavioural interventions during pregnancy have shown to be effective at supporting women achieve gestational weight gain (GWG) recommendations and return to their pre-pregnancy weight postpartum, yet few women are counseled about weight gain during pregnancy. A discrepancy exists between health care providers’ (HCP) reported counseling behaviours and women’s perceptions of counseling by HCPs; most HCPs report counseling women about GWG; conversely, most women report not receiving counseling about GWG. This study explored women’s experiences with GWG and their perceptions of discussions about GWG with HCPs during pregnancy and postpartum. This will help to identify gaps in service delivery and highlight areas for improvement that may better support women to achieve GWG recommendations leading to better health outcomes for women and children.

Methods

Five focus groups (n = 26) were conducted with women up to 1 year postpartum across the five Alberta health zones. Focus groups were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using qualitative content analysis.

Results

GWG is important to women, for their health and for the health of their baby. In-depth conversations with HCPs about GWG or weight loss do not occur; however, women want the opportunity to discuss weight gain/loss with HCPs. Women would like discussions about gestational weight gain/loss to become part of standard care and offered to all women.

Conclusions

Women suggested that discussions about GWG should occur with all women, and that HCPs should initiate these discussions by asking women how they feel about discussing weight. Conversations should begin early on in pregnancy and continue through to the postpartum period. Interventions assessing discussions about GWG should be implemented and evaluated as this has been identified as a gap in prenatal service delivery.

SmartMom Text Messaging for Prenatal Education: A Qualitative Focus Group Study to Explore Canadian Women's Perceptions

BACKGROUND

We engaged Canadian women in the development of a prenatal education program delivered via one-way text messaging called SmartMom. SmartMom is the first peer-reviewed, evidence-based mHealth program for prenatal education in Canada and the first to be endorsed by the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada.

OBJECTIVE

To explore women's preferences for a prenatal education program by text messaging.

METHODS

We conducted a qualitative focus group study in three Canadian communities in the Northern Health Authority. Women completed a demographic questionnaire, participated in a guided discussion about their pregnancy information-seeking behavior, reviewed a printed copy of the SmartMom text messages, and then engaged in a moderated discussion about their perceptions of the usability of the SmartMom program. Open-ended questions explored women's perceptions regarding the message content, acceptability of receiving information by text message, positive health behaviors they might engage in after receiving a message, modifiable program factors, and intention to use the program. Thematic analysis of transcribed audio recordings was undertaken and modifications were made to the SmartMom program based on these findings.

RESULTS

A total of 40 women participated in seven focus groups in three rural northern communities. The vast majority had a mobile phone (39/40, 98%), used text messages "all the time" (28/40, 70%), and surfed the Internet on their phone (37/40, 93%). Participants perceived SmartMom to be highly acceptable and relevant. The text message modality reflected how participants currently sought pregnancy-related information and provided them with local information tailored to their gestational age, which they had not received through other pregnancy resources. Women recommended adding the opportunity to receive supplemental streams of messages tailored to their individual needs, for example, depression, pregnancy after previous cesarean, >35 years of age, new immigrants, and harm reduction for smoking and alcohol.

CONCLUSIONS

This formative qualitative evaluation provides evidence that a prenatal education program by text messaging, SmartMom, is acceptable to the end users. These findings support the usability of the SmartMom program at a population level and the development of an evaluation program exploring the effects of the text messages on adoption of health-promoting behaviors and maternal-child health outcomes.

Impact of maternal knowledge of recommended weight gain in pregnancy on gestational weight gain

BACKGROUND

Obesity is prevalent among reproductive-aged women and is associated with increased obstetric complications. Weight gain recommendations exist; however, knowledge of these recommendations is low, and few women gain appropriate weight during their pregnancies. Excessive gestational weight gain is common and is associated with adverse outcomes. Little is known about the relationship between knowledge of gestational weight gain recommendations and actual weight gain.

OBJECTIVES

Our objectives were to assess knowledge of weight gain recommendations in pregnancy and to determine its association with actual weight gain among women who seek care at an urban, regional perinatal center. We hypothesize that low levels of knowledge will predict inappropriate weight gain in this population.

STUDY DESIGN

This is a cross-sectional study with linked chart review of 338 women who sought routine obstetric ultrasound scans at an urban, regional perinatal center that serves a largely low-income population of predominately black women. Descriptive statistics, chi-square test, and analysis of variance were performed.

RESULTS

This population has low rates of accurate knowledge of weight gain recommendations in pregnancy (27%) and low rates of appropriate gestational weight gain (30%). Inappropriate gestational weight gain was highest among women who were obese before pregnancy. Accurate knowledge of gestational weight gain recommendations was associated with appropriate weight gain in pregnancy (P = .02), as was prepregnancy weight category (P = .004) and correct identification of prepregnancy weight category (P = .005).

CONCLUSION

These findings support the need for improvements in educational efforts about weight gain in pregnancy for high-risk, low-income women in an urban setting, which may improve compliance with the recommendations.

Associations between maternal anthropometric characteristics and infant birth weight in Iranian population

Objective:

To examine the (1) normal ranges of anthropometric and insulin resistance/sensitivity indices (homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance, homeostatic model assessment for insulin sensitivity, and quantitative insulin sensitivity check index) for Iranian pregnant women and their newborns and (2) associations between maternal anthropometric and metabolic values and infants’ birth weights among Iranian women.

Methods:

Anthropometric and metabolic values of 163 singleton non-diabetic pregnant women in Tehran, Iran (2014) were collected before and during pregnancy and at delivery. Linear regression, multivariable regression, and Student t tests were used to evaluate correlations between birth weight and maternal variables.

Results:

Linear regression modeling suggested that maternal serum glucose (p = 0.2777) and age (p = 0.6752) were not associated with birth weight. Meanwhile, maternal weight and body mass index before pregnancy (p = 0.0006 and 0.0204, respectively), weight at delivery (p = 0.0036), maternal height (p = 0.0118), and gestational age (p = 0.0016) were positively associated with birth weight, while serum insulin (p = 0.0300) and homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (p = 0.0334) were negatively associated with infant’s birth weight. Using multivariate modeling, we identified severalconfounders: parity (multipara mothers delivered heavier babies compared to first-time mothers) explained as much as 24% of variation in birth weight (p = 0.005), maternal height explained 20.7% (p = 0.014), gestational age accounted for 19.7% (p = 0.027), and maternal body mass index explained 19.1% (p = 0.023) of the variation in the infant’s birth weight. Maternal serum insulin and infant’s sex were not observed to be associated with birth weight (p = 0.342 and 0.669, respectively) in the overall model.

Conclusion:

Overweight/obese women may experience higher incidence of delivering larger babies. Multivariable regression analyses showed that maternal body mass index and height, parity, and gestational age are associated with newborn’s birth weight.