Study On Weight Retention And Its Influencing Factors For Postpatrum Woman

Objective:(1) To assess weight retention in the first12months postpartum;(2) toevaluate the effects of body weight changes during pregnancy and postpartum behaviorson postpartum weight retention within1year postpartum and therefore to providescientific evidences for desirable gestational weight gain and reducing postpartumweight retention.Methods: This was a retro prospective cohort study，in which a district of Maternaland Child Health Centers was recruited as the research site based on the health caresystem in Hefei. Participants were restricted to women who attended postnatalexamination for the first time after childbirth. Data for the gestational weight gain wasobtained from maternal management system and the pregnancy management archives ofHefei, and baseline information was established according to it. Participants werefollowed up for5times. Information on exercise, breastfeeding and other activitiesduring42days,3months,6months,9months and12months postpartum werecollected, and weight retention at different time points was calculated according topre-pregnancy weight. The trend of weight gain from pregnancy to1year postpartumwas depicted and repeated measures analysis of variance and correlation were used totest factors influencing postpartum weight retention and gestational weight gain.Result:(1) postpartum weight retention decreased with time,(6.50±4.33) kg,(6.00±4.46) kg,(5.22±4.73) kg,(4.09±4.78) kg and (2.52±4.65) kg separately atpostpartum42days and3,6,9,12months. Subjects restored to pre-pregnancy weightratio were6.9%，8.3%，14.4%，21.9%and32.0%at different time point.(2) Overall,the postpartum weight retention was decreased across all BMI groups throughout thestudy period, while the postpartum weight retention for women who were overweight orobese was increased within the first3months postpartum.(3) Excessive gestational weight gain was the most significant predictor of postpartum weight retention, whichmight be increased by it; Pregnancy weight gain increased most rapidly from20to24weeks during mid-pregnancy.(4) Pre-pregnancy BMI, feeding patterns and sedentarytime were the main factors that affected postpartum weight retention. The interactioneffect existed between the changes of pre-pregnancy BMI and postpartum BMI;breastfeeding up to6months could decrease postpartum BMI of6,9and12months;daily sedentary time greater than7hours would lead to more postpartum weightretention at6,9and12months.Conclusion: The pre-pregnancy BMI maintained within an appropriate range willhelp reduce excessive gestational weight gain; breastfeeding and reducing sedentarybehavior can reduce postpartum weight retention effectively.