Risk Factors for Postpartum Weight Retention in Postpartum Women: An Integrative Review.
Shanxia Chen, Meiyu Wang, Yue Wei and 3 others
PMID 42667676WHAT IT FOUND
In 26 studies, postpartum weight retention at 6 months ranged from 10.6% to 85.5%.
Nurses can screen for excessive gestational weight gain, caesarean birth, inappropriate diet, low activity, short sleep, and anxiety or depression.
Key findings
01Across 26 included studies, postpartum weight retention at 6 months was 10.6% to 85.5% and high retention was 35% to 50%; at 12 months, retention was 5.2% to 71.8% and high retention was 20% to 28.2%.
02The review identified 21 risk factors, including excessive gestational weight gain, caesarean delivery, lower pre-pregnancy BMI, inappropriate dietary intake, less physical activity, less sleep duration, and adverse psychosocial characteristics.
0316 of the 26 included studies were rated moderate quality; 19 used an unrepresentative sample and 21 failed to adequately control for confounding.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
This review looked at risk factors, not interventions, so it does not show that changing any factor prevents postpartum weight retention. Most included studies were observational cohort or cross-sectional studies, and many had unrepresentative samples or inadequate control for confounding. The review did not identify studies from low-income countries, so findings may not apply everywhere. Postpartum weight retention was measured as postpartum weight minus pre-pregnancy weight, which does not distinguish postpartum weight retention from postpartum weight accrual. 12 studies identified postpartum weight retention and gestational weight gain based on BMI, and BMI cannot separate fat from muscle. Findings for education, feeding pattern, and income were inconsistent, possibly due to selection, information, and confounding bias. Only quantitative studies were included, so experiences and contextual reasons behind weight retention were not explored. The review did not pool results in a meta-analysis because study designs and measurements differed.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The study was supported by Guangdong Province education, medical research, and a food and drug vocational college program.
The easy way to misread this
Do not treat the 21 factors as proof that changing them reduces postpartum weight retention. The review found associations, not tested interventions, and many studies had selection bias and confounding.