BACKGROUND: Women with overweight (OW) and those with obesity (OB) tend to gain excessive weight during pregnancy, often resulting in adverse outcomes. The long-term effects of mobile health (mHealth) interventions on maternal and infant outcomes remain unclear.
OBJECTIVE: To examine the effects of an mHealth intervention on OW and OB from the course of their pregnancy to six months postpartum.
METHODS: A randomized controlled trial was conducted in northern Taiwan. Ninety-two pregnant women with a body mass index (BMI)of ≥25 kg/m2 were recruited from prenatal clinics at <17 weeks of gestation. Prepregnancy weight was baseline maternal weight, with data collected subsequently at the last assessment before childbirth and six months postpartum. The intervention group (IG) received the mHealth intervention, while the control group (CG) received standard antenatal care. The trial was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (identifier: NCT04553731) with the initial registration date of September 16, 2020.
RESULTS: The IG tended to have a lower mean body weight than the CG at the last assessment before childbirth (82.23 kg vs 84.35 kg) and at six months postpartum (72.55 Kg vs 72.58 Kg). IG\'s newborn birth weight was significantly lower than CG\'s (3074.8 vs. 3313.6 g; p = 0.009). Regression analysis revealed that OB in IG had a significant reduction in weight before childbirth (β = -7.51, p = 0.005) compared to OB in CG. Compared to OW in CG, both OW in IG (β = -243.59, p = 0.027) and OB in IG (β = -324.59, p = 0.049) were associated with decreased newborn birth weight.
CONCLUSIONS: mHealth helped women with obesity to successfully manage their GWG and body weight before childbirth and newborns\' birth weight, despite this effect not persisting to reduce weight retention at six months postpartum.

OBJECTIVE: To determine risk factors for 1-year postpartum weight retention (PPWR) and glucose intolerance (prediabetes + diabetes) in women with a previous history of gestational diabetes (GDM) and prediabetes in early postpartum.
METHODS: In this exploratory analysis of the MELINDA randomized controlled trial, we report data of 167 women with prediabetes at the 6-16 weeks (early) postpartum oral glucose tolerance test after a recent history of GDM.
RESULTS: Of all participants, 45% (75) had PPWR >0 kg at 1-year postpartum. Compared to women without PPWR, women with PPWR had higher gestational weight gain [10.5 ± 6.4 vs. 6.5 ± 4.5 kg, p < 0.001], higher BMI (p < 0.01) and a worse metabolic profile (higher waist circumference, worse lipid profile and more insulin resistance) (all p < 0.05) both in early and late postpartum. Of all women with PPWR, 40.0% developed metabolic syndrome, compared to 18.9% of women without late PPWR (p = 0.003). The only independent predictor for late PPWR was weight retention in early postpartum (p < 0.001). Of all participants, 55.1% (92) had glucose intolerance (84 prediabetes, 8 diabetes) 1-year postpartum. Independent predictors for late postpartum glucose intolerance were lower gestational age at start insulin therapy in pregnancy and delivery by caesarean section (resp. p = 0.044 and 0.014).
CONCLUSIONS: In women with a previous history of GDM and prediabetes in early postpartum, PPWR in early postpartum was a strong independent predictor for late PPWR, while earlier start of insulin therapy during pregnancy and delivery by caesarean section were independent predictors of glucose intolerance in late postpartum.

OBJECTIVE: Retention of weight gained over pregnancy increases the risk of long-term obesity and related health concerns. While many risk factors for this postpartum weight retention have been examined, the role of mode of delivery in this relationship remains controversial. We carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the effect of mode of delivery on postpartum weight retention.
METHODS: Ten electronic databases including PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Web of Science, MEDLINE, CINAHL, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wan-Fang database, the VIP database and China Biology Medicine Database (CBM) were searched from inception through November 2022. Review Manager 5.4 was used to pool the study data and calculate effect sizes. For dichotomous data, the odds ratio and 95 % confidence interval were used to report the results. For continuous data, the mean difference (MD) and 95 % confidence interval were used to report the results. The outcomes were the amount of postpartum weight retention and the number or proportion of women who experienced postpartum weight retention. The Newcastle- Ottawa Scale (NOS) and GRADE Guidelines were used to assess the methodological quality of the included studies.
RESULTS: A total of 16 articles were included in the systematic review and 13 articles were included in the meta-analysis. The results showed that the mode of delivery had a significant effect on postpartum weight retention, women who delivered by caesarean section were more likely to experience postpartum weight retention compared to those who delivered vaginally. Sensitivity analysis showed that the results were stable and credible.
CONCLUSIONS: Due to the limitations of this study, the findings need to be treated with caution. And, to better prevent the postpartum weight retention, future practice and research need to further focus on upstream modifiable factors.

UNASSIGNED: Women with glucose intolerance after gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are at high risk to develop type 2 diabetes. Traditional lifestyle interventions in early postpartum have limited impact. We investigated the efficacy of a blended mobile-based lifestyle intervention in women with glucose intolerance after a recent history of GDM.
UNASSIGNED: Prospective, double-arm, non-masked, multicentre randomised controlled trial (RCT) in which women with glucose intolerance, diagnosed 6-16 weeks after a GDM-complicated pregnancy, were assigned 1:1 to a one-year blended-care, telephone- and mobile-based lifestyle program (intervention) or usual care (control). Primary endpoint was the proportion of women able to achieve their weight goal (≥5% weight loss if prepregnancy BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 or return to prepregnancy weight if prepregnancy BMI < 25 kg/m2) in the intention-to-treat sample. Key secondary outcomes were frequency of glucose intolerance, diabetes and metabolic syndrome, and lifestyle-related outcomes assessed with self-administered questionnaires. The study was registered in ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03559621).
UNASSIGNED: Between April 10th 2019 and May 13th 2022, 240 participants were assigned to the intervention (n = 121) or control group (n = 119), of which 167 (n = 82 in intervention and n = 85 in control group) completed the study. Primary outcome was achieved by 46.3% (56) of intervention participants compared to 43.3% (52) in the control group [odds ratio (OR) 1.13, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.63-2.03, p = 0.680; risk ratio 1.07, 95% CI (0.78-1.48)]. Women in the intervention group developed significantly less often metabolic syndrome compared to the control group [7.3% (6) vs. 16.5% (14), OR 0.40, CI (0.22-0.72), p = 0.002], reported less sedentary behaviour and higher motivation for continuing healthy behaviours. In the intervention group, 84.1% (69) attended at least eight telephone sessions and 70.7% (58) used the app at least once weekly.
UNASSIGNED: A blended, mobile-based lifestyle intervention was not effective in achieving weight goals, but reduced the risk to develop metabolic syndrome.
UNASSIGNED: Research fund of University Hospitals Leuven, Novo Nordisk, Sanofi, AstraZeneca, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Lilly.

BACKGROUND: The transition to parenthood represents a critical life period with psychosocial, and behavioral changes and challenges for parents. This often increases stress and leads to unhealthy weight gain in families, especially in psychosocially burdened families. Although universal and selective prevention programs are offered to families, specific support often fails to reach psychosocially burdened families. Digital technologies are a chance to overcome this problem by enabling a low-threshold access for parents in need. However, there is currently a lack of smartphone-based interventions that are tailored to the needs of psychosocially burdened families.
OBJECTIVE: The research project I-PREGNO aims to develop and evaluate a self-guided, smartphone-based intervention in combination with face-to-face counseling delivered by healthcare professionals for the prevention of unhealthy weight gain and psychosocial problems. The intervention is specifically tailored to the needs of psychosocially burdened families during the pregnancy and postpartum period.
METHODS: In two cluster randomized controlled trials in Germany and Austria (N = 400) psychosocially burdened families will be recruited and randomized to i) treatment as usual (TAU), or ii) I-PREGNO intervention (self-guided I-PREGNO app with counseling sessions) and TAU. We expect higher acceptance and better outcomes on parental weight gain and psychosocial stress in the intervention group.
CONCLUSIONS: The intervention offers a low cost and low-threshold intervention and considers the life situation of psychosocially burdened families who are a neglected group in traditional prevention programs. After positive evaluation, the intervention may easily be implemented in existing perinatal care structures in European countries such as Germany and Austria.
BACKGROUND: Both trials were registered prospectively at the German Clinical Trials Register (Germany: DRKS00029673; Austria: DRKS00029934) in July and August 2022.

OBJECTIVE: To determine risk factors for early postpartum weight retention (PPWR) and glucose intolerance (GI) in women with gestational diabetes (GDM).
METHODS: Prospective, multicenter (n=8) cohort study in 1201 women with a recent history of GDM. Pregnancy and postpartum characteristics, and data from self-administered questionnaires were collected at the 6-16 weeks postpartum 75g OGTT.
RESULTS: Of all participants, 38.6% (463) had moderate (>0 and ≤5 kg) and 15.6% (187) had high (>5kg) PPWR. Independent predictors for early PPWR were excessive gestational weight gain (GWG), lack of breastfeeding, higher dietary fat intake, insulin use during pregnancy, multiparity, lower prepregnancy BMI, and lower education degree. Compared to PPWR <5 kg, women with high PPWR had a more impaired postpartum metabolic profile, breastfed less often, had higher depression rates [23.1% (43) vs. 16.0% (74), p=0.035] and anxiety levels, and lower quality of life. Of all participants, 28.0% (336) had GI [26.1% (313) prediabetes and 1.9% (23) diabetes]. Women with high PPWR had more often GI compared to women without PPWR [33.7% (63) vs. 24.9% (137), p=0.020]. Only 12.9% (24) of women with high PPWR perceived themselves at high risk for diabetes but they were more often willing to change their lifestyle than women with moderate PPWR.
CONCLUSIONS: Modifiable risk factors such as lifestyle, prepregnancy BMI, GWG, and mental health can be used to identify a subgroup of women with GDM at the highest risk of developing early PPWR, allowing for a more personalized follow-up.

Identify the prevalence and predictors of substantial postpartum weight retention (SPPWR) among WIC mothers in Southern California during their first postpartum year.
Secondary data analysis.
The 2020 Los Angeles County WIC Survey.
Mothers of children up to 1-year-old (N = 1019).
Outcome variable: SPPWR (≥5 kg above pre-pregnancy weight). Predictors: child\'s age, mother\'s age, race, education, employment status since having child, healthcare coverage, food insecurity, depressed mood, instrumental support, emotional support, spouse\'s participation in child\'s life, gestational weight gain (GWG), pre-pregnancy BMI, any breastfeeding, and gestational diabetes.
Weighted descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression.
The prevalence of SPPWR was 31%. We found that for every 1 month increase in the child\'s age (proxy for postpartum duration), the likelihood of SPPWR increased by 9% (AOR = 1.09, CI = 1.04-1.15). Mothers were more likely to have SPPWR when they exceeded GWG guidelines (AOR = 3.43, CI = 2.46-4.79). Compared to mothers with normal pre-pregnancy BMIs, mothers with overweight (AOR = .64, CI = .44-.94) and obese (AOR = .39, CI = .26-.58) pre-pregnancy BMIs were less likely to experience SPPWR.
Postpartum duration and maternal anthropometric characteristics were associated with SPPWR during the first postpartum year. Extending WIC eligibility for postpartum mothers to 2 years through the Wise Investment in Children Act may give WIC providers the opportunity to work closely with Southern California WIC mothers to achieve a healthy weight after pregnancy.

In women with type 1 diabetes, the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, including congenital anomalies, preeclampsia, preterm delivery, foetal overgrowth and perinatal death is 2-4-fold increased compared to the background population. This review provides the present evidence supporting recommendations for the diet during pregnancy and breastfeeding in women with type 1 diabetes. The amount of carbohydrate consumed in a meal is the main dietary factor affecting the postprandial glucose response. Excessive gestational weight gain is emerging as another important risk factor for foetal overgrowth. Dietary advice to promote optimized glycaemic control and appropriate gestational weight gain is therefore important for normal foetal growth and pregnancy outcome. Dietary management should include advice to secure sufficient intake of micro- and macronutrients with a focus on limiting postprandial glucose excursions, preventing hypoglycaemia and promoting appropriate gestational weight gain and weight loss after delivery. Irrespective of pre-pregnancy BMI, a total daily intake of a minimum of 175 g of carbohydrate, mainly from low-glycaemic-index sources such as bread, whole grain, fruits, rice, potatoes, dairy products and pasta, is recommended during pregnancy. These food items are often available at a lower cost than ultra-processed foods, so this dietary advice is likely to be feasible also in women with low socioeconomic status. Individual counselling aiming at consistent timing of three main meals and 2-4 snacks daily, with focus on carbohydrate amount with pragmatic carbohydrate counting, is probably of value to prevent both hypoglycaemia and hyperglycaemia. The recommended gestational weight gain is dependent on maternal pre-pregnancy BMI and is lower when BMI is above 25 kg/m2. Daily folic acid supplementation should be initiated before conception and taken during the first 12 gestational weeks to minimize the risk of foetal malformations. Women with type 1 diabetes are encouraged to breastfeed. A total daily intake of a minimum of 210 g of carbohydrate is recommended in the breastfeeding period for all women irrespective of pre-pregnancy BMI to maintain acceptable glycaemic control while avoiding ketoacidosis and hypoglycaemia. During breastfeeding insulin requirements are reported approximately 20% lower than before pregnancy. Women should be encouraged to avoid weight retention after pregnancy in order to reduce the risk of overweight and obesity later in life. In conclusion, pregnant women with type 1 diabetes are recommended to follow the general dietary recommendations for pregnant and breastfeeding women with special emphasis on using carbohydrate counting to secure sufficient intake of carbohydrates and to avoid excessive gestational weight gain and weight retention after pregnancy.

The obesity epidemic among women in Africa is a health problem, and many studies attribute it to childbearing. However, most studies of postpartum weight retention (PPWR) occur in high-income countries.
Therefore, this review sought to identify the potential factors affecting PPWR among African women.
Four databases were searched from January 2000 to December 2020: Medline/PubMed, Google scholar, Ajol research, FreeFullPDF. The quality of included studies was assessed using the Newcastle Ottawa Scale.
Fifteen studies (5 from west, 4 from south, 3 from east, 2 from central, and 1 from north) were included: 8 cohort and 7 prospective cohort studies. Two studies examined the effect of obesity and weight gain during pregnancy on PPWR, 3 studies assessed the effect of childbirth, 4 examined the effect of breastfeeding, 4 assessed the impact of morbidities such as HIV, and 2 looked at food insecurity. Five studies demonstrated that postpartum weight is due to residual pregnancy weight gain and childbirth weight gain and is accentuated as parity increases (n = 2). Breastfeeding has a controversial effect, while morbidity (n = 4) and food insecurity (n = 4) contributed to weight loss. The variation in weight was also influenced by cultural practices (n = 1), prepregnancy weight (n = 1), and socioeconomic status (n = 1). On all domains, only 3 included studies were of good quality.
Pregnancy weight gain, childbirth, breastfeeding, morbidity, and food insecurity were associated with PPWR. However, preexisting factors must be considered when developing PPWR modification strategies. In addition, due to the limited number of studies included, robust conclusions cannot be drawn.

UNASSIGNED: Postpartum period is associated with significant weight retention and weight gain. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a comprehensive questionnaire to assess the risk factors, facilitators, and barriers to postpartum weight management.
UNASSIGNED: The development and validation were done in five major steps by applying a mixed-method study design. Items were generated through literature review, focus group discussions, and in-depth interviews, followed by the assessment of content validity, face validity, construct validity, and reliability.
UNASSIGNED: The final questionnaire comprises 36 items which are split into five major domains assessing perceptions related to body weight, eating behaviour, physical activity, sleep pattern, and beliefs/myths associated with postpartum period. The questionnaire has a satisfactory construct validity through factor analysis (65.12) and good internal consistency and reliability with a Cronbach\'s alpha of 0.79.
UNASSIGNED: This is a comprehensive tool to assess the risk factors, facilitators, and barriers to postpartum weight management and will aid in developing women centric strategies to curb the problem.
UNASSIGNED: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13224-022-01631-0.