Influence Factors On Postpartum Weight Retention Among Women During One Year After Childbirth: A Prospective Cohort Study

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the prevalence of weight retention in womenpostpartum at different consecutive periods of one year after childbirth, and todetermine factors associated with postpartum weight retention.METHODS: Prospective cohort design was used for our study. An Institute of HefeiMaternal and Child Health Care was as research field, and645postpartum women wererecruited as participants with reformed consent. We set up a baseline point at42dayspostpartum, take the advantage of Hefei information management system for maternalweight gain during pregnancy and childbirth information, and prospective observationalfollow-up time was3months,6months,9months,12months postpartum respectively.The study observed indexes was related to post-natal physical activity, breastfeeding,sleep, weight, and so on. Postpartum weight retention using statistical analysis ofvariance for repeated measurement data, the influencing factors of postpartum weightretention multivariate logistic regression analysis method.RESULTS:(1) The pre-pregnancy average weight of study objects was54.26±8.11kg,the rates of pre-pregnancy overweight and obesity were7.9%and2.1%.42days,3months,6months,9months,12months postpartum average weight retention of objectswas7.83±5.12kg,6.58±5.21kg and5.10±5.19kg,4.07±4.96kg,3.43±4.98kg,respectively. The rates of overweight and obesity12months postpartum were15.9%,5.3%, respectively. Mean weight is57.5kg (40.0~92.0kg), mean waist circumferenceis74.3cm (58.0-104.0cm), mean hip circumference is93.2cm (78.0-115.0cm), mean skin-fold thickness is22.5mm (10.0-44.0mm), mean BMI is21.9kg/m2(15.6~38.5kg/m2).(2) Influenced by pre-pregnancy BMI, physical activity, feeding patterns andsedentary situation, there is a statistically significant difference of postpartum BMI(P<0.05)(3) Postpartum physical activity was associated with postpartum weightretention, inadequate group postpartum weight retention is higher than the generalexercise group and the active exercise group, and Postpartum weight retentioninfluenced by feeding patterns and sedentary, and the difference was statisticallysignificant (P<0.05).(4) Exclusive breastfeeding is256patients (41.7%), mixed feedingis133cases (21.7%), artificial feeding is89cases (14.7%) in the study, Exclusivebreastfeeding postpartum for four months or more can reduce weight take the advantageof retention significantly.CONCLUSION: Breastfeeding after childbirth and taking part in physical activity couldeffectively reduce weight retention which may be as long-term risk of maternal obesity.