Correlation between Gestational Weight Gain in the Second and Third Trimester and Preeclampsia Risk: A Study From Indonesia

Abstract

Introduction: Many studies have proposed that pre-pregnancy body mass index and higher gestational
weight gain (GWG) during pregnancy are risk factors for preeclampsia incidence. However, most of those
studies give attention to total GWG during pregnancy to the risk of preeclampsia, not in a specific trimester.
Aim: To examine whether abnormal gestational weight gain in the second and third trimester correlated with
the incidence of preeclampsia
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in a public health centre, in Surabaya, Indonesia,
between October 2018 and October 2019. The samples were 63 pregnant women in the second and third
trimester. The variable observed was gestational weight gain (GWG) each week during the second and third
trimester compared to their pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) using the Institute of Medicine (IOM)
standards and preeclampsia incidence. Statistical analysis used was Fisher’s Exact Test and Chi-Square Test
with a significance level of 5%.
Results: There were 11 and 52 samples in the second and third trimester, respectively. Abnormal weight
gain was recorded in 54% of samples in the second trimester and 57% of the preeclampsia third-trimester
samples. Moreover, preeclampsia was diagnosed in 83.3% and 60% samples with abnormal weight gain in
the second trimester and third trimester. Statistical analysis showed abnormal weight gain in the second and
third trimester related to preeclampsia with P-values 0.015 and 0.0001.
Conclusion: Abnormal gestational weight gain in the second and third trimester was correlated to
preeclampsia.