Standardization of weight gain in healthy pregnant women: a proposed curve for Brazilian women

Abstract

Gestational weight gain is a clinical parameter that has to be monitored carefully by both the pregnant woman and the doctor. Excessive or inadequate weight gain during pregnancy can be associated with adverse perinatal outcomes and with comorbidities over the life of women. In Brazil, the Ministry of Health guidelines are based on the weight gain proposed by Atalah curve, but this curve has been criticized for having been created in the 90s, based on a small number of Chilean women and, recent studies showed little predictive value for this curve. Objective: To establish a new curve of gestational weight gain among Brazilian women. Methods: Prospectively measured weight will be collected in 1200 pregnant women, excluding women with twin pregnancy, gestational diabetes, diabetes, HIV positive, who delivered the State Hospital of Sumaré-São Paulo. The data on weight during pregnancy are extracted of copy from the prenatal card that is attached to the records of women. Analysis of data: linear regression method (time-dependent) will be used to obtain the standard curve for each group of initial pregnancy BMI (normal, overweight and obesity), confidence intervals (5%, 2.5% and 1 %), percentiles 1%, 2.5%, 5%, 10%, 50%, 90%, 95%, 97.5% and 99%. The software used for analysis will be SAS version 9.2 and the significance level is assumed at 5%.