Gestational weight gain trajectories in GARBH-Ini pregnancy cohort in North India and a comparative analysis with global references

To describe the pattern of gestational weight gain (GWG), derive reference centiles for GWG specific to North Indian population, and to compare the weight gain across different periods of gestation with the INTERGROWTH-21st reference.

A prospective pregnancy (GARBH-Ini) cohort was initiated and followed between May 2015 and June 2019 in a district hospital, Gurguram, North India. GWG centile curves were modelled by Generalized Additive Models for Location, Scale and Shape method (n = 2844) and compared with INTERGROWTH-21st reference. The independent association of GWG with biological and social predictors was assessed using multivariable regression analysis.

Percentiles (3rd, 10th, 50th, 90th and 97th) for each completed week from 18-40 weeks of gestation were derived from smoothed centile curves. The median GWG across pregnancy during specific antenatal visits was 1.29 at 18, 4.44 at 26, 5.8 at 30 and 9.06 kg at 40 weeks of gestation. Nearly 26% of participants had GWG < 10th centile at 18-20 weeks as per INTERGROWTH-21st reference and this increased to 45% at delivery. Significant predictors of GWG included maternal age, height, first trimester body mass index, parity, type of family, and use of clean fuel for cooking.

These GWG percentiles will serve as a useful reference, particularly during the WHO recommended antenatal visit schedule for optimum pregnancy outcomes, for clinicians and researchers. Multiple independent biological and social predictors of GWG suggest that single interventions are unlikely to bridge the gap between general Indian population and international references.