Maternal and Infant Health in Relation to Gestational Weight Gain
To what extent are maternal weight and psychosocial factors related to weight issues during pregnancy, and what effect does weight gain during pregnancy have on the general health of the mother and infant?
While weight gain and weight loss are often associated with issues related to self-image, they are also an important factor in maternal and infant health. Research has shown that women who gain weight during pregnancy within recommended guidelines have better health outcomes compared to women who gain weight outside of these recommendations.
This study investigated the relationship between women’s health behaviours, psychosocial factors and gestational weight gain during pregnancy. Participants were in the early stages of pregnancy for the first stage of the study, and for the second stage of the study they were in the later stages of pregnancy. A total of 150 women were recruited to the study.
