Psychiatric disorders and gestational weight gain among women who quit smoking during pregnancy

Pregnancy is a common time for women to quit using cigarettes and other substances. Such changes in substance use as well as other psychiatric and psychosocial changes during pregnancy can affect gestational weight gain (GWG). Thus, we evaluated the relationship between psychiatric disorders and GWG among pregnant women who had quit smoking.

Pregnant former smokers (n = 281) enrolled in a larger trial for postpartum relapse prevention completed semi-structured psychiatric interviews and measures of prepregnancy nicotine dependence and smoking behavior, and were weighed to estimate gestational weight gain. Using linear regression and mixed-effect models, the relationship between a lifetime prevalence of each psychiatric disorder and total GWG was evaluated, controlling for variables previously related to GWG.

Average GWG was 15.6 (± 8.5) kg, and 56% (n = 157) of women exceeded the GWG recommended by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) according to prepregnancy BMI. Over one-third (34.3%) of pregnant former smokers had a history of at least one diagnosable psychiatric disorder. History of psychiatric disorder was unrelated to GWG, with one exception; lifetime history of alcohol use disorder was associated with significantly larger GWG.

Women who quit smoking during pregnancy gain a considerable amount of gestational weight, and a previous history of alcohol use disorder is related to GWG. However, the benefits of smoking cessation to maternal and fetal health likely outweigh the disadvantage of weight gain, and other psychiatric disorders are not linked to GWG.