ABSTRACT
The relation between postpartum weight retention and pre-pregnancy BMI and parity is controversial. Pregnancy has been cited as a contributor to overweight in women. Retention of gestational weight can be a significant contributor to obesity related complications. This study was performed to identify the impact of pre-pregnancy BMI and parity on weight change and BMI at 6 months postpartum. In a prospective cohort study, 503 parous women, 15-45 years old who delivered full-term, without complication and exclusively breastfed till 6 months, were assessed at 6 months postpartum in Javaheri hospital and other related centers to Islamic Azad University in 1385. The participants filled out questionnaires. The survey measured woman's weight and height. The information was used to compute each woman's pregnancy BMI, pregnancy weight gain and postpartum weight loss. The samples were analyzed to assess the impact of pre-pregnancy BMI on weight change at 6 months postpartum in fixed parity and the impact of parity on weight change at 6 months postpartum in fixed pre-pregnancy BMI. There were no associations between parity, height, family income, contraception, mode of delivery, age and weight changes at 6 months postpartum. There were associations between pre-pregnancy BMI and weight changes at 6 months postpartum if parity fixed [p>2]. To our knowledge, overweight women before pregnancy have higher risk of postpartum weight retention if parity were 3 or more. These findings support the need of the guidelines for preventing major weight retention associated with pregnancy