Effect of maternal infection on gestational weight gain in an urban community of Uganda.

INTRODUCTION

Maternal infection has been associated with undesirable effects during pregnancy such as; hyperemesis gravidarum, anemia, intrauterine fetal growth restriction and miscarriage. Our aim was to document the effect of infection on gestational weight gain (GWG) in a low-income urban setting in Uganda.

METHODS

This was a prospective cohort study conducted in Kampala between May 2012 and May 2013. The participants were HIV negative, positive and negative primigravidae and secundigravidae. Recruitment was at gestation age of eighteen or less weeks and follow up assessments were carried out at 26 and 36 weeks gestation age. infection was determined using stool antigen test. Maternal weight and height were measured, and body mass index (BMI) and rates of GWG were calculated.

RESULTS

The participants' mean±standard deviation (sd) age was 20.9±2.7 years. Primigravidae were 68.8% (n = 132) and 57.3% (n = 110) of the participants were positive for infection. Low pre-women pregnancy BMI (< 18.5 kg/m) was recorded in 14.6% (n = 28). The mean±sd rate of GWG during second and third trimesters was 300.5±79.7 grams/week. The mean±sd weight gained by 36 weeks of gestation was 9.6±2.2 kg while gestation age at delivery was 39.4±1.0 weeks. Factors independently associated with the rates of GWG during the second and third trimesters were parity (P=0.023), infection (P = 0.006), pre-pregnancy BMI (P = 0.037), height (P = 0.022) and household income (P = 0.003).

CONCLUSION

infection is associated with low rates of GWG among primigravidae and secundigravidae.