BOCYF Project: Workshop on the Impact of Pregnancy Weight on Maternal and Child Health

The committee convened a workshop and prepared a summary of the workshop describing what is known about recent trends in maternal weight gain (prior to, during, and after pregnancy) and the impact of maternal weight during pregnancy on the health of mothers and their children (up to 12 months).

Funds from the Maternal and Child Health Services Title V Block Grant are used by states and jurisdictions use to design and implement a wide range of maternal and child health programs that meet national and state needs. The workshop and workshop report informs the efforts of Title V Maternal and Child Health Programs to foster adherence to guidelines for recommended weight gains during pregnancy.

1. What research and databases describe the distribution of maternal weight (prior to, during, and after pregnancy) among different populations of women in the United States?

2. What research and databases inform our understanding of the effects of different weight patterns (including underweight and overweight) during pregnancy on maternal and child health outcomes (up to 12 months)?

3. What research has been conducted to describe the individual, community, and health care system factors that impede or foster compliance with recommended gestational weight guidelines (prior to, during, and after pregnancy)?

4. What opportunities exist for Title V Maternal and Child Health Programs to build on this knowledge to help childbearing women achieve and maintain recommended weight (prior to, during, and after pregnancy)?

5. What future research and data collection efforts could improve the efforts of Title V programs to support women from different racial and ethnic backgrounds in their efforts to comply with recommended weight guidelines and to improve their maternal health?