Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40102908›Full record

ArticleBMC medicine2025

Reconsideration of lowering gestational weight gain guidelines in pregnant women diagnosed with gestational diabetes: evidence from a Belgian study.

Katrien Benhalima, Caro Minschart, Ina Geerts, Lieveke Ameye, Bart Van Der Schueren, Roland Devlieger, Annick Bogaerts, Chantal Mathieu

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Article in BMC medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Katrien Benhalima *Department of Endocrinolgy, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium. katrien.benhalima@uzleuven.be.
Caro Minschart *Department of Endocrinolgy, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Ina GeertsDepartment of Chronic Diseases and Metabolism, Clinical and Experimental Endocrinology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Lieveke AmeyeDepartment of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Bart Van Der SchuerenDepartment of Endocrinolgy, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Roland DevliegerDepartment of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Annick BogaertsSchool of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK.
Chantal MathieuDepartment of Endocrinolgy, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe suitability of the United States National Academy of Medicine guidelines for gestational weight gain in women with gestational diabetes remains uncertain, raising global concerns. This study aimed to evaluate the association of gestational weight gain with pregnancy and birth outcomes and to determine optimal ranges for gestational weight gain per pre-pregnancy body mass index category in women with gestational diabetes.

methodsAn epidemiological analysis between 2009-2018 analyzed a large Belgian cohort of singleton pregnancies with gestational diabetes and gestational age 38-40 weeks. Multivariate logistic regression assessed associations between gestational weight gain and relevant pregnancy and birth outcomes, with and without adjustment for confounding variables, including maternal age, origin, education, mode of conception, parity, gestational age at delivery, social deprivation, and year of delivery. Potential optimal weight gain ranges were calculated by minimizing the combined risk of small- and large-for-gestational-age infants (SGA, LGA).

resultsA total of 13,060 women with gestational diabetes were included. Compared to recommended weight gain, gestational weight gain above guidelines occurred in 26.9% and was associated with an increased risk of gestational hypertension (aOR 1.41, 95% CI 1.20-1.66, p < 0.001), emergency caesarean section (aOR 1.45, 95% CI 1.25-1.69, p < 0.001), LGA infants (aOR 1.84, 95% CI 1.63-2.08, p < 0.001), and macrosomia (aOR 1.78, 95% CI 1.55-2.04, p < 0.001). Weight gain less than recommended (40.2%) was associated with a decreased risk of gestational hypertension (aOR 0.81, 95% CI 0.69-0.96, p = 0.015), LGA infants (aOR 0.58, 95% CI 0.50-0.66, p < 0.001), and macrosomia (aOR 0.57, 95% CI 0.49-0.65, p < 0.001), but at the expense of an increased risk of SGA infants (aOR 1.68, 95% CI 1.45-1.96, p < 0.001) and low birth weight (aOR 2.28, 95% CI 1.57-3.32, p < 0.001). Based on current analysis, the optimal ranges for gestational weight gain would be 9 to 14 kg for women with a normal weight, 1 to 9 kg for women with overweight, and -7 to 1 kg for women with obesity.

conclusionsThis Belgian study suggests that optimal gestational weight gain for singleton at-term pregnancies complicated by gestational diabetes should be lower than current recommendations, highlighting the need to reevaluate gestational weight gain guidelines in this context.

Indexed as

Diabetes, GestationalGestational Weight GainAdultBelgiumBody Mass IndexFemaleHumansInfant, NewbornPractice Guidelines as TopicPregnancyPregnancy OutcomeGestational diabetes mellitusGestational weight gainNational Academy of Medicine guidelinesPregnancyRecommendations

Identifiers

PMID40102908
PMCPMC11921705

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.