Standard international recommendations for gestational weight gain: suitability for our population

Background: gestational weight gain (GWG) is one of the most commonly used indicators in prenatal care, and probably the most influential factor in perinatal outcomes. Objective: to determine the extent to which the GWG of pregnant women from the Ribera Health Department (Valencia) meets GWG international standards as recommended by the U.S. Institute of Medicine (IOM). Methods: a retrospective observational study of a sample of 4,361 women who gave birth at Hospital Universitario de la Ribera between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2015. Pregnant women were classified according to GWG international recommendations: adequate weight gain, above and below. Results: a higher GWG increases the…