Pregnancy and weight monitoring

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  A feasibility study of an intervention using a combination of a weight chart and midwife support using motivational interviewing techniques to effectively manage healthy weight gain in pregnancy.

• IRAS ID

  210763

• Contact name

  Julia Sanders

• Contact email

  SandersJ3@cardiff.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  Cardiff University

• Duration of Study in the UK

  1 years, 11 months, 31 days

• Research summary

  Summary of Research
  Pregnancy is naturally associated with weight gain, however there is concern that in current society more women are starting pregnancy overweight or are developing obesity during pregnancy. Whilst international guidelines exist to recommend levels of healthy weight gain, many women find that the information available to them is vague and inconsistent. This study aims to develop a weight chart for pregnant women to use with support from a community midwife, to help women maintain healthy weight gain during pregnancy according to published guidelines. The weight chart will also be used as a tool to facilitate directed and effective communication between the midwife and pregnant woman on issues surrounding weight gain during the course of pregnancy

  Summary of Results
  Around half of pregnant women in the United Kingdom are overweight or obese. The antenatal period provides an opportunity for encouraging women to adopt positive lifestyle changes, and in recent years, this has included development of strategies to support women in avoiding excessive gestational weight gain. The objective of this interventional cohort study was to incorporate individualised gestational weight monitoring charts supported by motivational interviewing (MI)-based conversations into midwifery-led antenatal care and assess potential of the intervention for further development and evaluation. The study setting was a community midwifery team within a large maternity unit. The study explored the facilitators and barriers to engagement with the intervention as experienced by women and midwives; 52 women were recruited, of whom 48 were included in the analysis. A single training session was found adequate to prepare midwives to use antenatal weight charts but was insufficient to result in the incorporation of motivational interview techniques into clinical practice. We did not find sufficient evidence to recommend effectiveness testing of this intervention, and there is currently insufficient evidence to support reintroducing regular weighing of pregnant women into UK antenatal care. Given the public health importance of reducing rates of obesity, future interventions aimed at controlling gestational weight gain should continue to be developed but need to include innovative strategies particularly for women who are already obese or gain weight above that recommended.

• REC name

  Wales REC 2

• REC reference

  16/WA/0221

• Date of REC Opinion

  24 Aug 2016

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion