Abstract
Objective We investigated the association between gestational weight gain (GWG) and postpartum
depression (PPD) in women with class III obesity.
Study Design This is a retrospective cohort of women with body mass index (BMI) ≥ 40 kg/m2 at entry to care, first prenatal visit ≤14 weeks gestation, with singleton, nonanomalous
pregnancies who delivered at term from July 2013 to December 2017. Women missing data
regarding PPD were excluded. Primary outcome was PPD; classified as Edinburgh Postnatal
Depression Scale (EPDS) score >13/30 or provider's report of depression. Participants
were classified, according to Institute of Medicine GWG guidelines (11–20 pounds),
as either less than 11 pounds (LT11) or at/more than 11 pounds (GT11). Bivariate statistics
compared demographics and pregnancy characteristics. Logistic regression used to estimate
odds of primary outcome.
Results Of 275 women, 96 (34.9%) gained LT11 and 179 (65.1%) gained GT11 during pregnancy.
The rate of PPD was 8.7% (n = 24), 9 (9.4%) in the LT11 group and 15 (8.4%) in the GT11 group (p = 0.82, odds ratio: 1.13, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.48, 2.69). When controlling
for entry BMI and multiparity, adjusted odds of PPD was 1.07 (95% CI: 0.44, 2.63).
No correlation was found between GWG and EPDS.
Conclusion A relationship between GWG and PPD in class III obese women was not found in this
cohort.
Keywords
gestational weight gain - obesity - postpartum depression - pregnancy