PREGNANCY-RELATED WEIGHT-GAIN AND RETENTION - IMPLICATIONS OF THE 1990 INSTITUTE-OF-MEDICINE GUIDELINES

Objectives. Guidelines from the Institute of Medicine's 1990 report ca ll for weight gains during pregnancy that are higher than those previo usly recommended. This study examines the potential implications of co mpliance with these guidelines for postpartum weight retention. Method s. Weight retention 10 to 18 months following delivery was examined fo r selected women who had live births in the 1988 National Maternal and Infant Health Survey. Women's actual weight gains during pregnancy we re retrospectively classified according to the Institute of Medicine's guidelines. Results. Weight retention following delivery increased as weight gain increased, and Black women retained more weight than Whit e women with comparable weight gain. The median retained weight for Wh ite women who gained the amount now being recommended was 1.6 lb where as that for Black women was 7.2 lb. Conclusions. If pregnant White wom en gain weight according to the institute's guidelines, they need not be concerned about retaining a substantial amount of weight postpartum . Our findings suggest, however, that Black women are in need of advic e about how to lose weight following delivery.