Nutrition Intervention for the Promotion of Healthy Weight Gain During Pregnancy

The purpose of this study is to determine if twice monthly interaction with a registered dietitian from 6-16 weeks gestation through 6 months postpartum will help women who are overweight or obese gain weight during pregnancy closer to the Institute of Medicine (IOM)guidelines and lose weight more effectively within the 6 month postpartum period than those who do not receive twice monthly interaction with a registered dietitian during this period. Overweight/obesity can lead to a number of adverse pregnancy, delivery and birth outcomes, including increased risk of hypertension, eclampsia, and diabetes during pregnancy, miscarriage, premature delivery, birth injuries, neural tube defects, and prenatal death. More than half of women of childbearing age are overweight or are obese. Women of color and low-income women are affected disproportionately. Unfortunately, women know little, if anything, about the impact of overweight and obesity on pregnancy and health care providers are unsure how to effectively address the problem with their patients. A limited number of programs have tested ways to effectively address weight gain management during pregnancy. None have been successful in addressing weight gain in women who are obese or overweight at the start of pregnancy. The 2-year Revere Health Center Pregnancy Weight Management Study will test the feasibility and efficacy of providing pregnant women who are overweight or obese with regular access to a registered dietitian during and after pregnancy to help achieve total weight gain closer to recommended guidelines and to ensure the best outcomes for the mother and her newborn.