Relation between age of menarche and gestational weight gain: a cross-sectional study in Brazil

Abstract

Abstract Objectives: to investigate the relation between age at menarche and gestational weight gain. Methods: cross-sectional study, with 2609 women from “Projeto VIVER: desfechos em saúde nos períodos perinatal e neonatal” (VIVER Project: “Health outcomes in the perinatal and neonatal periods). Outcome: gestational weight gain; independent variable: age at menarche. Descriptive analysis with prevalence presentation (CI95%). To test the association between weight gain and menarche, Poisson regression was applied. Results: early menarche (< 12 years) occurred in 21.9% of the sample (CI95%=20.3-23.4). In the group with early menarche, 43.7% presented pre-gestational overweight, 85.6% post-pregnancy overweight and 36.8% had excessive gestational weight gain. Early menarche increases the risk of excessive gestational weight gain by 33% (aPR= 1.33; CI95% = 1.05-1.69). Conclusions: early menarche is related to excessive gestational weight gain. Educational actions to prevent overweight in prenatal consultations should be prioritized, especially among women with early menarche.

Keywords

• Menarche
• Gestational weight gain
• Body weight