Factors affecting gestational weight gain: a cross-sectional study from Semnan city

Maternal care is one of the fundamental healthcare domains that undeniably affect community health. Given the importance of gestational weight gain (GWG) as a vital care indicator, this study aims to assess the GWG and identify its determinants.

This cross-sectional study was conducted in the autumn of 2022 and included 400 postpartum women. The study tool was a researcher-made questionnaire whose content validity was approved by experts, and its Content Validity Ratio (CVR) and Content Validity Index (CVI) were found to be 0.94 and 0.92, respectively. The descriptive results were reported as frequency (percentages) for qualitative variables and mean (standard deviation) for quantitative variables. Moreover, the chi-square test was used to assess the statistical relationship between demographic and background variables with GWG status.

The results indicated that the average GWG was 11.59 kg. Additionally, it was observed that 65% of mothers had a normal weight gain during their last pregnancy, while 17% had a low weight gain and 18% had a high weight gain. The analysis of demographic and background variables revealed that basic health insurance, the type of basic health insurance, borrowing money to pay for health expenses, pre-pregnancy weight status, pre-existing cardiac and renal conditions, gestational diabetes, and experiencing leaking amniotic fluid and hemorrhage during pregnancy is significantly associated with gestational weight gain status (P<0.05).     

The unfavorable state of the GWG index can be attributed to several factors, such as income and employment disparities. Therefore, it is crucial to devise and finance policies to enhance women's health after delivery.