Leveraging Action to Support Dissemination of Pregnancy Weight Gain Guidelines - Workshop Summary

Released:	September 16, 2013

Note: Workshop Summaries contain the opinion of the presenters, but do NOT reflect the conclusions of the IOM. Learn more about the differences between Workshop Summaries and Consensus Reports.

Along with recommending revised pregnancy weight gain guidelines, the 2009 IOM and National Research Council (NRC) report, Weight Gain During Pregnancy: Reexamining the Guidelines, identified evidence that preconception counseling and certain practices, such as charting weight gain during pregnancy, can lead to improved choices concerning nutrition and physical activity. However, many women still do not receive adequate pre- or post-conception advice about weight and pregnancy weight gain. Many women and health professionals remain unaware of the recommended pregnancy weight guidelines and even those women who are aware of the guidelines may find it difficult to get informed guidance that can help them achieve those guidelines.
On March 1, 2013, the IOM and NRC held a workshop to discuss communication and implementation of recommended guidelines for healthy pregnancy weight gain. The workshop featured a range of products for dissemination, panel discussions on ways to facilitate and support women’s efforts to achieve a healthy weight pre- and post-pregnancy, a discussion on how to put the weight gain guidelines into action, and a presentation on innovative ways to reach women and implement change. This document summarizes the workshop.