Overview
The Institute of Medicine (IOM) and National Research Council (NRC), through collaborative efforts between the Food and Nutrition Board and the Board on Children, Youth, and Families, have undertaken a study to review and update the 1990 IOM recommendations for weight gain during pregnancy and to recommend ways to encourage their adoption through consumer education, strategies to assist practitioners, and public health strategies (click here for full statement of task).

The 1990 recommendations, published in Nutrition During Pregnancy, addressed target ranges for weight gain in pregnancy and guidelines for proper measurement. Since the publication of that report and others, things have changed and an update is needed. Maternal pre-pregnancy weight, patterns of weight gain, and total gestational weight gain can affect the immediate as well as the long-term health of the infant and may predispose the mother to future health concerns.

A recent workshop convened by the NRC and IOM explored new trends in maternal weight and emerging research. The workshop and its summary report reinforce the need for a reexamination of recommendations for weight gain in pregnancy, especially in light of current health trends among women of child-bearing age.

Project Timeline
This is a 22-month study. A prepublication of the report is expected to be released by June 2009.

Sponsors
This project is supported by the Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (DNPAO), National Institutes of Health (NICHD, NIDDK, DNRC); Office on Women’s Health, and Office on Disease Prevention and Health Promotion; and the March of Dimes.

Please contact M. Jennifer Datiles, Senior Program Assistant, with questions about the project at MDatiles@nas.edu.