Helping Individuals Achieve a Healthy Weight Gain During Pregnancy: A Multipronged Approach

Approximately half of pregnant individuals in the United States exceed recommendations for gestational weight gain (GWG). Excessive GWG is associated with negative outcomes for maternal and infant health. In this article, we provide guidance to nurses who counsel patients about GWG. Because of negative bias toward persons with obesity, nurses need to understand their own attitudes toward obesity to provide supportive GWG counseling. The use of words such as weight is preferred to obese, and recommended GWG goals should be consistent with established guidelines. The setting of specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and trackable behavioral goals can help translate a goal for GWG into practical actions in daily living. Mobile phone apps, if carefully chosen, may help individuals learn about and track GWG.

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