SR of antenatal interventions for overweight or obese pregnant women

January 01, 0001

SR of antenatal interventions for overweight or obese pregnant women

These Austrlian authors conducted a systematic review to assess the benefits and harms of antenatal dietary or lifestyle interventions for pregnant women who are overweight or obese. They included randomised controlled trials comparing antenatal dietary and/or lifestyle or other interventions with no treatment for overweight or obese women. Studies were evaluated independently for appropriateness for inclusion and methodological quality. The primary outcome was large-for-gestational-age infants. Nine randomised controlled trials were included involving 743 women who were overweight or obese during pregnancy. Seven trials compared a dietary intervention with standard antenatal care.

They found: "There were no statistically significant differences identified between women who received an antenatal intervention and those who did not for the large-for-gestational-age infant outcome (three studies; 366 women) or mean gestational weight gain [four studies; 416 women). There were no statistically significant differences identified for other reported outcomes."

The authors concluded: "The effect of providing an antenatal dietary intervention for overweight or obese pregnant women on maternal and infant health outcomes remains unclear."

Studies were few and small. More research is needed, but the approach does not seem too promising.

For the full abstract, click here.

BJOG 117:1316-1326, September 2010 © 2010 to the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gaenegologists
Antenatal interventions for overweight or obese pregnant women: a systematic review of randomised trials. JM Dodd, RM Grivell, CA Crowther, JS Robinson. Correspondence to Dr. Dodd: [email protected]

Category: W. Pregnancy, Childbirth, Family Planning, T. Endocrine/Metabolic/Nutritional. Keywords: obesity, pregnancy, diet, exercise, lifestyle, systematic review of randomized controlled trials, journal watch.
Synopsis edited by Dr Linda French, Toledo, Ohio. Posted on Global Family Doctor 19 October 2010

Pearls are an independent product of the Cochrane primary care group and are meant for educational use and not to guide clinical care.