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Effect of prepregnancy weight, prenatal weight gain and smoking on infant birth weight

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship- between prenatal weight gain relative to initial weight and change in smoking habits relative to prepregnancy smoking habits on infant birth weight. The convenience sample was 100 women who had been prenatal clients at a clinic for low income women and who delivered term infants during a one year period. Women were selected who had term deliveries and were without medical problems during the pregnancy.Prepregnancy weight-for-height was determined using the 1959 Metropolitan Life Insurance Table. Weight gain throughout the pregnancy was charted on the appropriate graph. Changes in smoking habits during the pregnancy were evaluated verbally. Roy's Adaptation Model was the conceptual framework for this study. The physiological mode of this model depicts people as individuals who are constantly adapting to a changing environment. Procedures for the protection of human subjects were followed.The first research question illustrated that women who gained adequate weight and reduced or quit smoking had infants with higher birth weights. The second research question showed that, overall, women who quit or reduced the amount smoked early in pregnancy had infants with higher birth weights than women who quit or reduced later in pregnancy or-who did not change smoking habits. The third research question determined that nonsmokers had infants with higher birth weights than smokers.Women who smoke will have infants with lower birth weights than those that do not smoke. Women with inadequate weight gains during pregnancy are more likely to have infants: with lower birth weights than women with adequate weight gains. Health care providers must be able to relay, the risks of inadequate weight gain and smoking to pregnant women. / School of Nursing

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:BSU/oai:cardinalscholar.bsu.edu:handle/185465
Date January 1995
CreatorsMurtland, Patricia A.
ContributorsBall State University. School of Nursing., Bantz, Diana L.
Source SetsBall State University
Detected LanguageEnglish
Formatvi, 77 leaves : ill ; 28 cm.
SourceVirtual Press

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