Maternal Nutrition and Birth Weight in Dual Nutrition Burden Era

In the 1970s low dietary intake, pre-pregnancy under-nutrition and low weight gain during pregnancy were thought to be the major factors responsible for over 1/3rd of infants being born with low birth weight in India. Over decades there has been improvement in nutritional status of women; currently both maternal under-nutrition and over-nutrition are major public health problems. Despite improvement in maternal nutritional status, there has been no improvement in birth weight. A study was taken up in women from urban low-middle-income families, to assess maternal nutritional status, weight gain during pregnancy and birth weight; in a sub-group of women the magnitude of residual post-pregnancy weight retention was investigated. Urban women from low-middle-income families (1235) attending antenatal clinics in primary health care institution or receiving antenatal care in community settings, were enrolled for this longitudinal observational study. Gestational age and weight were recorded in 1235 women during 4467 antenatal visits. Mean weight gain in 2nd and 3rd trimester was 7.5 kg. Data on birth-weight was available in 853 women; mean birth-weight was 2.7 kg. In 145 women in whom pre- and post-pregnancy weight was available; the post-pregnancy weight retention was 1.9 kg. Women were heavier before and during pregnancy and there has been improvement in pregnancy weight gain as compared to two decades ago but there was no change in mean birth-weight. Screening, identifying under- or over-nourished pregnant women and providing them with appropriate nutrition and health care can enable improvement in maternal nutrition and birth weight.