The Association between Weight Gains Patterns and Birth Weights in Twin Gestation Women with Assisted Reproductive Technology

Wednesday, 9 July 2008
Wen-Ya Lai, RN, MS , Nursing, Institution of Nursing, College of Nursing, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
Pi-Chao Kuo, RN, PhD , College of Nursing, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan

Learning Objective 1: The learner will be able to understand the association between maternal weight gain patterns and birth weight outcome in twins with Assisted Reproductive Technology.

Learning Objective 2: The learner will be able to share prenatal care of twin.

The birth weights of twin with assisted reproductive technology (ART) were influenced in the rate of low birth weight, preterm deliveries, and mortality. Prior studies indicated that significant effects of maternal weight gain on birth weight; that relationship varies by maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI). Total weight gain and weight gain patterns were the important predictor of birth weights during twin gestation. While the standard of maternal weight gain patterns for singleton was well document, there was a paucity of information for twin pregnancies especially direct at the Asian.

The study objective was to investigate the association between maternal weight gain patterns, based on pre-pregnancy BMI and birth weight outcome in twins with ART. A random sampling was used to collect ninety twin pregnancies by retrospective study design. The study populations were twins with ART delivered at an Infertility Research Centers in the central Taiwan between August 1, 2004 and July 31, 2007. Using the body weight list that recorded maternal weight gain and newborn birth weight were designed retrospectively. All data were abstracted from the pregnant woman's health manual by one researcher. The data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation, one way ANOVA, and simple regression.

The result will understand the relationship between maternal weight gain patterns during different gestation and neonatal birth weights in twin with ART. Therefore it will provide the experiment evidence of the local, in order to nursing staff that cared the women with ART had a reference bases which recommended antenatal nutrition and fetus development for weight gain in twin gestation.