POPS2
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Effectiveness of regular weighing and feedback by community midwives in preventing excessive gestational weight gain: randomised controlled trial. (POPS 2)
IRAS ID
161070
Contact name
Sean Jennings
Contact email
Research summary
During pregnancy many women gain too much weight because they do less physical activity and eat more food. This can lead to complications during pregnancy and it can also negatively affect the health of the baby. Weight gained during pregnancy which is not lost afterwards could lead to women becoming obese or starting subsequent pregnancies in an unhealthy weight state. There is a need therefore to evaluate interventions to prevent women gaining excessive weight during pregnancy. The ideal health professionals to help women do this are community midwives since they see women regularly throughout pregnancy and their role is to promote good outcomes for mother and baby. 490 women who are having a pregnancy without complications being cared for by community midwives will be eligible. Women will be randomised to receive usual care from their midwife or usual care plus the intervention. The intervention is led by community midwives who will regularly weigh pregnant women at routine antenatal visits, plot their weight on a weight gain chart, set parameters for healthy weight gain for each subsequent appointment, provide feedback on weight gain progress and encourage women to weigh themselves each week. Brief messages about the importance of eating healthily and physical activity during pregnancy Regular weighing of pregnant women by community midwives is not currently recommended in the UK. However our feasibility study has shown this type of intervention to be promising in preventing excessive weight gain during pregnancy and that our intervention does not cause women to become anxious. Weight will be measured at 10-14 weeks and 38 weeks of pregnancy to determine if they have gained excess weight. We will also interview up to 30 women and 30 community midwives about their experiences of participating in the study.
REC name
West Midlands - South Birmingham Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/WM/1134
Date of REC Opinion
2 Oct 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion