Gestational Weight Gain and Postpartum Depression in Women with Class III Obesity

Abstract

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.