Total and trimester‐specific gestational weight gain and infant anthropometric outcomes at birth and 6 months in low‐income Hispanic families

Objective To describe total and trimester‐specific gestational weight gain (GWG) among low‐income Hispanic women and determine whether these GWG exposures are associated with infant anthropometric outcomes at birth and 6 months. Study Design Data were from 448 mother‐infant pairs enrolled in the Starting Early child obesity prevention trial. Prenatal weights were used to calculate total GWG and 2nd and 3rd trimester GWG rates (kg/week) and categorized as inadequate, adequate, and excessive according to the 2009 Institute of Medicine recommendations. Multivariable linear and modified Poisson regressions estimated associations of infant anthropometric outcomes (birthweight, small‐for‐gestational age [SGA], large‐for‐gestational age [LGA], rapid weight gain, and weight‐for‐age, length‐for‐age, and weight‐for‐length z‐scores at 6 months) with GWG categories. Results For total GWG, 39% and 27% of women had inadequate and excessive GWG, respectively. 57% and 46% had excessive GWG rates in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters, respectively, with 29% having excessive rates in both trimesters. Inadequate total GWG was associated with lower infant weight and length outcomes (ß range for z‐scores = −0.21 to −0.46, p