RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of gestational weight gain on birthweight of the newborn, in order to clarify if this weight increment results in heavier newborn. METHODS: Retrospective cohort in a tertiary level private institution that attends a high income population of São Paulo - Brazil; inclusion of all the mother-newborn pairs with complete data (2275) in the Cadastro de Informações Perinatais (CIP) in the software EPI 6; from February/95 till June/96.RESULTS: Gestational weight gain between 12 and 20 kg resulted in a greater number of newborn with birthweights between 3000 and 3499g. Pregnancies with a weight gain below or equal 10 kg correlated with newborn of low birthweight (Odds ratio= 1.81; CI= 1.20-2.73; 95% of significance). Gestational gain beneath or equal to 12 kg had a greater risk of a newborn with insufficient weight - 2499< birthweight < 3000g - (Odds ratio= 1.47; CI= 1.19-1.81; 95% of significance). Gestational gain above 16 kg did not correlate with increase in birthweight.CONCLUSIONS: The gestational weight gain of 12 kg is the minimum increase of weight in order that the newborn is over 3000g. The gestational weight gain above 16 kg did not increase birthweight. The high social economic level was not sufficient to avoid low birthweight or insufficient weight at birth.
