Check out this feature on the CNS website of Dr. Widen’s paper about “Nuance Needed Regarding Weight-Gain Recommendations During Pregnancy”

A study by The University of Texas at Austin and Kaiser Permanente Northern California suggests that current gestational weight gain guidelines for pregnant individuals with obesity may require refinement. The 2009 National Academy of Medicine guidelines recommend a weight gain of 5-9 kg (11-20 pounds) for those with a body mass index (BMI) over 30. However, this study, published in the American Journal of Perinatology, indicates that weight gain recommendations should be tailored to specific obesity classes. Researchers analyzed over 29,000 patients categorized into Obesity Class I (BMI 30-34.9), Class II (BMI 35-39.9), and Class III (BMI 40+), examining outcomes such as infant birth weight, cesarean sections, neonatal intensive care unit admissions, and preterm births. Findings revealed that patients who gained less than the recommended weight or maintained stable weight experienced certain positive outcomes compared to those who adhered to current guidelines. Lead author, our very own, Elizabeth Widen emphasized the need for nuanced recommendations, noting that while weight loss during pregnancy was linked to risks like small-for-gestational-age infants, gaining less or maintaining weight showed benefits for some patients with obesity. Co-author Monique Hedderson highlighted the importance of tailoring weight gain recommendations to individual obesity classes. Read the article here.