The implications of excessive gestational weight gain for both mother and offspring are increasingly recognised (1). This highlights the importance of gestational weight monitoring (GWM), plus encouragement of strategies to achieve healthy weight gain. However, the attitudes of pregnant women towards GWM are poorly understood.
A cross-sectional observational study was undertaken to assess the attitudes of pregnant women towards GWM. Participants were English-speaking adult women with singleton pregnancies, of varying gestation, and of any pre-pregnancy BMI category, who attended the Royal Women’s Hospital (RWH) for antenatal care. Women with and without diabetes were included, as were women with other obstetric complications.
Participants completed an 11 question Likert-style questionnaire, plus had the opportunity to write ‘free text’ to describe their attitudes towards regular GWM. Subsequent thematic analysis examined the concepts presented via the ‘free text’.
A total of 340 pregnant women completed the questionnaire. A subset of 74 women (22%) additionally described their attitudes using ‘free text’. Thematic analysis revealed main themes of: i) surprise that GWM is not part of routine antenatal care, plus an expectation that it should be done; ii) belief in the benefits of regular GWM to assist with an overall focus on a healthy diet and lifestyle.
Gestational weight monitoring is currently not part of routine antenatal care at RWH. This may gradually change if the recently reviewed Department of Health Routine Antenatal Care guidelines are implemented (1). The draft guidelines propose that at each antenatal appointment, women should be offered the opportunity to be weighed and to discuss their weight gain, diet and physical activity levels. The present study indicates that pregnant women accessing antenatal care at RWH expect regular weight monitoring, with many also believing it to be beneficial.
References
1. Department of Health: Routine Antenatal Care Guidelines review. 2017.