Impact of the Covid‐19 pandemic on gestational weight gain: A French cohort study

Abstract

Abstract Introduction To investigate whether the quarantine periods due to the COVID‐19 pandemic were associated with excessive gestational weight gain. Methods This single‐centre retrospective observational French cohort study studied 23 774 pregnant women from 2017 to 2020 who had an obstetrical follow‐up consultation with a weight measurement in Strasbourg University Hospitals. We defined four time periods according to the two quarantine periods in France: (1) prequarantine, (2) first quarantine (all‐day curfew); (3) between quarantines, and (4) second quarantine (all‐day curfew). Inferential analyses and models were conducted using Bayesian methods. Results We developed three Bayesian models to explore the impact of quarantines on GWG. Mean GWG was 8.3 kg (standard deviation 5.0 kg) for a mean gestational age at consultation of 28.5 weeks. Compared to the same calendar periods from 2017 to 2019, the probabilities of a clinically significant increase in GWG (≥1 kg) during the different quarantine periods were extremely low (<0.001). Mean GWG was stable during the first quarantine (−0.13 kg; 95% confidence interval (CI) −0.30, 0.03) while it increased between quarantines (+0.20 kg; 95% CI 0.07, 0.35) and during the second quarantine (0.30 kg; 95% CI 0.12, 0.52). Conclusion This study showed that COVID‐19 quarantine periods were not associated with a clinically significant excessive GWG, even if during the period between quarantines and during the second quarantine there was a slight increase in GWG. Pregnant women can therefore be reassured concerning this problem.

Keywords

• Covid‐19
• health behaviour change
• maternal morbidity
• nutrition
• obesity
• obstetrics