Impact of an Individualized Weight-Tracking Tool on Gestational Weight Gain Knowledge [37B

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Only ∼one-third of US women meet Institute of Medicine (IOM) gestational weight gain (GWG) guidelines. Whether women understand these body mass index (BMI)-specific guidelines and whether additional education could improve knowledge is unclear. We hypothesized that an individualized, GWG-tracking tool would improve patient knowledge about GWG guidelines and BMI. METHODS: Women with singleton pregnancies at one outpatient clinic were recruited for a clinical trial. Over eight weeks, women 15 0/7-22 6/7 weeks’ with at least one prior prenatal visit were enrolled in the control group. Women 6 0/7-14 6/7 weeks’ were enrolled in the intervention group at their first prenatal visit and received a GWG card from study staff who helped women record preconception weight, BMI, and BMI-specific GWG guidelines. Women were encouraged to record weight at each prenatal care visit. All women completed a GWG knowledge-based questionnaire at 15 0/7-22 6/7 weeks’. Groups were compared using bivariate analyses. RESULTS: Among 125 women, 45 (36%) comprised the intervention group. The intervention and control groups were similar in age, race/ethnicity, education, income, parity, and preconception BMI. Compared with control, intervention group women were not more likely to correctly define “BMI” (52% vs. 63%, p=0.5), correctly classify their preconception BMI (48% vs. 51%, p=0.9), recall their BMI-specific GWG guidelines (51% vs. 67%, p=0.1), or think they would meet GWG guidelines (58% vs. 50%, p=0.5). CONCLUSION: Our intervention did not improve GWG or BMI knowledge. These data underscore the deficit in fundamental knowledge among pregnant women, which may contribute to the limited success of GWG interventions.