Introduction: Healthy gestational weight gain (GWG) is associated with improved pregnancy and delivery outcomes. The COVID-19 pandemic changed eating behaviours and physical activity, and thus may have impacted GWG. This study examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on GWG.
Methods: Participants (N = 371, 86% of the larger study) were part of a study focused on GWG among TRICARE beneficiaries (i.e., active-duty military personnel and other beneficiaries). Participants were randomized to two treatment groups (GWG intervention (n = 149 pre-COVID and n = 98 during COVID), and usual care condition (n = 76 pre-COVID and n = 48 during COVID). GWG was calculated as the difference between screening weight and at 36 weeks gestation. Participants who delivered prior to the COVID-19 pandemic (March 1, 2020, N = 225) were compared to participants whose pregnancies occurred during the pandemic (N = 146).
Results: We found no significant difference in GWG between those who delivered prior to the pandemic (11.2 ± 4.3 kg) and those whose pregnancies occurred during COVID-19 (10.6 ± 5.4 kg), with no effect of intervention arm. While excessive GWG was higher pre-COVID (62.8%) than during the pandemic (53.7%), this difference was not significant overall or by intervention arm. In addition, we found lower attrition during the pandemic (8.9%) than in the pre-COVID period (18.7%).
Discussion: In contrast to prior research that indicated challenges with engaging in health behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic, we found that women did not have increased GWG or higher odds of excessive GWG. This research contributes to our understanding of how the pandemic impacted pregnancy weight gain and engagement in research.
What is Already Known About this Subject? Excessive gestational weight gain is associated with adverse pregnancy and delivery outcomes. During COVID-19 the lifestyles of pregnant women changed significantly. Previous research into the effects of the pandemic on gestational weight gain have suggested that gestational weight gain increased over the pandemic. What this Study adds? Participants in our diverse sample did not display any difference in gestational weight gain pre-COVID or during COVID. This research contrasts with existing literature by demonstrating that, for this pregnant sample, the pandemic did not correlate with greater gestational weight gain. Lower attrition and lower attendance of intervention sessions were found during the pandemic suggesting a mixed patten of the effect of the pandemic on engagement in research.
Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic; Clinical trials; Gestational weight gain; Pregnant women.
© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.