Abstract
BackgroundThe inter-pregnancy period is considered a teachable moment when women are receptive to weight- management guidance aimed at optimising pregnancy outcome in subsequent pregnancies. In population based studies inter-pregnancy weight change is associated with several adverse pregnancy outcomes but the impact on placental size is unknown.MethodsThe association between inter-pregnancy weight change and the primary risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes in the second pregnancy was investigated in 12,740 women with first two consecutive deliveries at a single hospital using logistic regression.ResultsCompared with women who were weight stable, weight loss (>1BMI unit) between pregnancies was associated with an increased risk of spontaneous preterm delivery, low placental weight and small for gestational age (SGA) birth, while weight gain (>3BMI units) increased the risk of pre-eclampsia, gestational hypertension, emergency caesarean section, placental oversize and large for gestational age (LGA) birth at the second pregnancy. The relationship between weight gain and pre-eclampsia risk was evident in women who were overweight at first pregnancy only (BMI ≥25 units), while that between weight loss and preterm delivery was confined to women with a healthy weight at first pregnancy (BMI <25 units). In contrast, the association between weight loss and SGA was independent of first pregnancy BMI. A higher percentage of women who were obese at first pregnancy were likely to experience a large weight gain (P < 0.01) or weight loss (P < 0.001) between consecutive pregnancies compared with the normal BMI reference group.ConclusionInter-pregnancy weight change in either direction increases the risk of a number of contrasting pregnancy complications, including extremes of placental weight. The placenta may lie on the causal pathway between BMI change and the risk of LGA or SGA birth.
Highlights
The inter-pregnancy period is considered a teachable moment when women are receptive to weight- management guidance aimed at optimising pregnancy outcome in subsequent pregnancies
Villamer & Cnattingius [15] detected a linear relationship between interpregnancy weight gain and the incidence of gestational hypertension while Whiteman et al [22] reported that inter-pregnancy BMI loss resulting in a shift from the normal to underweight category increased the risk of spontaneous preterm delivery
The incidence of pre-eclampsia, gestational hypertension, induced and instrumental deliveries, placental abruption, large for gestational age (LGA) and extremes of placental weight at the first pregnancy varied by BMI change category
Summary
The inter-pregnancy period is considered a teachable moment when women are receptive to weight- management guidance aimed at optimising pregnancy outcome in subsequent pregnancies. Previous population based studies from Sweden and the USA (~114-230,000 women) have examined inter-pregnancy BMI changes in relation to a number of pregnancy complications [15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22]. Using contrasting approaches these researchers have demonstrated a strong relationship between inter-pregnancy weight gain and the risk of pre-eclampsia, stillbirth, maternal diabetes, LGA and caesarean delivery. The effect of inter-pregnancy BMI change on the primary incidence of small for gestation age (SGA) has not been documented
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