Early weight gain during pregnancy puts mother at risk of gestational diabetes

February 23, 2010 by Shawn Douglas
Filed under: News, Pregnancy

Excessive early weight gain during pregnancy puts a mother at risk of developing gestational diabetes later in the pregnancy.

New research out of the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in Northern California has linked excessive weight gain — especially during the first trimester — with the development of gestational diabetes later in the pregnancy.

The research, published online in the March issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology, found that the risk of gestational diabetes increased by 50 percent in those women who gained too much weight early on.

Gestational diabetes, a type of glucose intolerance commonly occurring during the second or third trimester, has been found to complicate up to seven percent of pregnancies in the United States, requiring early delivery and Caesarean sections. It often leads to type-2 diabetes and increases the risk the baby will develop diabetes and fight obesity later in life.

“There has been a dramatic rise in gestational diabetes within the past decade,” the study’s lead author, Dr. Monique M. Hedderson, told WebMD. “Women who develop gestational diabetes are more likely to have preterm deliveries and C-sections. And even after delivery they are at increased risk for developing type-2 diabetes.”

The researchers spent three years gathering data from 1,145 pregnant women of ethnically diverse populations in Northern California. The team examined the overall rate of pregnancy weight gain in the women leading up to a test for gestational diabetes between weeks 24 and 28. They also measured the rate of weight gain per trimester and compared their data with the 2009 recommendations set by the Institute of Medicine (IOM).

The IOM guidelines state that women of average weight should gain between 25 and 35 pounds during pregnancy. For overweight women, the gain should be no more than 25 pounds. Those women classified as obese should gain no more than 20 pounds.

During the first trimester, weight gains of between 1.1 pounds and 4.4 pounds are recommended regardless of pre-pregnancy weight.

The study is thought to be the first of its kind to link early weight gain with gestational diabetes. The results have led the researchers to suggest certain guidelines for controlling weight during the first trimester. Limiting extra calories to roughly 100 to 300 a day and reducing fat intake to less than 30 percent of total calories are recommended.

Kaiser Permanente has released a YouTube video with lead author and recent mother Dr. Monique M. Hedderson explaining the results. You can watch it here.