TOPLINE:

In a health system study of 931 individuals, researchers evaluated whether telephone-based health coaching during pregnancy affected gestational weight gain and postpartum weight retention. First trimester coaching initiation reduced excessive weight gain by 40% and postpartum retention by 2.2 kg.

METHODOLOGY:

• Researchers conducted a retrospective cohort study using electronic health record data from Kaiser Permanente Northern California to analyze outcomes of telephone-based health coaching focused on healthy eating during pregnancy from 2020 to 2022.
• A total of 931 individuals with 935 pregnancies were included; 525 pregnant individuals (56.1%) participated in Wellness Coaching in Pregnancy after referral, completing a median of two sessions.
• Wellness coaches were master’s-level clinical health educators trained in motivational interviewing strategies and pregnancy-specific nutrition guidance, offering up to six 15- to 20-minute sessions over 6 months.
• Primary outcomes included total gestational weight gain and postpartum weight retention up to 14 months postpartum.

TAKEAWAY:

• Overall participation in Wellness Coaching in Pregnancy showed no significant association with gestational weight gain or postpartum weight retention.
• First-trimester initiation of coaching was associated with 40% lower odds of gestational weight gain above Institute of Medicine recommendations (odds ratio, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.39-0.94) and 2.2 kg lower postpartum weight retention (95% CI, -3.7 kg to -0.7 kg).
• The number of completed coaching sessions was not significantly associated with gestational weight gain or postpartum weight retention.

IN PRACTICE:

“Because excessive gestational weight gain is a well-established risk factor for postpartum weight retention, Wellness Coaching in Pregnancy with lower postpartum weight retention may be mediated through healthier gestational weight gain. Initiation of health coaching in early pregnancy also may support habit formation and behavior maintenance,” the authors of the study wrote.

SOURCE:

The study was led by Sylvia E. Badon, PhD, Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California in Pleasanton, California. It was published online in O&G Open.

LIMITATIONS:

Clinician referral to the Wellness Coaching in Pregnancy program was based on their judgment and patient interest, potentially introducing selection bias. The study excluded individuals with nonsingleton pregnancies, pregnancy outcomes at less than 20 weeks after last menstrual period, those with gaps in Kaiser Permanente Northern California membership, and pregnancies ending in nonlive births, which may limit generalizability.

DISCLOSURES:

The study was funded by a Kaiser Permanente Northern California Community Health grant. The authors did not report having any potential conflicts of interest.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.