• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.65-78
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• 2021

Objectives: This study was aimed to investigate the weight change of the high-risk group and the general maternal group and weight-relating factors in the early postpartum period. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of those who received postpartum care from January 1, 2020, to December 31, 2020, in the postpartum care center affiliated with one Korean Medicine hospital. A total of 257 postpartum women's medical charts were included and divided into the high-risk group and the general maternal group. We investigated the weight changes and Body mass index (BMI) of the postpartum women and compared the difference between the two groups after taking the postpartum care. Finally, we used a Pearson correlation analysis to identify the weight-relating factors in the early postpartum period. Results: All the postpartum women showed the following results; 33.81±4.03 years old as the mean age; 22.23±3.28 as pre-pregnancy BMI; 58.21±9.18 kg of pre-pregnancy weight increased into 70.75±9.70 kg in the last month of pregnancy. Of the total 257 patients, 149 (58.0%) of high-risk pregnancy experience and 108 (42.0%) of general pregnancy were included. The edema index right after childbirth was significantly higher in the high-risk group than in the general maternal group (p<0.001), but there was no significant difference in BMI. After treatment with Korean medicine treatments, body weight, BMI, and edema index decreased significantly in both groups (p<0.01). As a result of correlation analysis, weight gain during pregnancy had a significant negative correlation with pre-pregnancy weight and pre-pregnancy BMI and a significant positive correlation with weight and BMI of the last month of pregnancy. In particular, pre-pregnancy BMI and body weight showed a significant negative correlation only in the high-risk group. Postpartum weight loss was significantly positively correlated with pre-pregnancy weight, pre-pregnancy BMI, weight & BMI of the pregnancy last month, weight gain during pregnancy, and decrease in edema (p<0.01) Conclusions: The weight during pregnancy of the high-risk group increased in inverse proportion to the pre-pregnancy BMI. The level of edema right after childbirth was significantly higher than that of the general maternal group, but showed a significant decrease after 2 weeks of Korean medicine treatments. Although it implicates the need for active Korean medicine treatments in the early postpartum period, further studies with controlled groups are needed.

• Neonatal Medicine
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.118-125
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• 2018

Purpose: The pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) is associated with adverse neonatal outcomes. However, studies on very low birth weight (VLBW) infants are rare. This study aimed to investigate the effect of maternal pre-pregnancy BMI on VLBW infants. Methods: This retrospective study evaluated singleton VLBW infants born at the CHA Gangnam Medical Center from 2006 to 2016. The neonates were classified into three groups according to the maternal pre-pregnancy BMI: underweight (<$18.5kg/m^2$), normal weight (${\geq}18.5$ to <$23kg/m^2$), and overweight or obese (${\geq}23kg/m^2$). Clinical characteristics and morbidities of mothers and infants were analyzed. Results: A total of 181 infants belonging to underweight (16.6%), normal weight (58.6%), and overweight or obese (24.8%) groups were enrolled. The pre-pregnancy BMI had a significant negative correlation with gestational age (r=-0.198, P=0.001) and a significant positive correlation with the z-score of the birth weight (r=0.078, P=0.001) and body length (r=0.067, P=0.008). The number of extremely preterm infants was significantly higher in the overweight or obese group. The proportion of risk of small for gestational age infants was higher in the underweight group (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 2.958; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.113 to 7.864), whereas that of infants with severe retinopathy of prematurity was higher in the overweight or obese group (adjusted OR, 9.546; 95% CI, 1.230 to 74.109). Conclusion: In our population of VLBW infants, the pre-pregnancy BMI was associated with gestational age, intrauterine growth, and adverse neonatal outcomes. Therefore, proper weight control before pregnancy is important.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.8 no.6
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• pp.803-813
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• 2003

Literature suggests that iron deficiency anemia is prevalent among pregnant women all over the world. This study was designed to evaluate the iron status of pregnant women during the fist five months, with the intention of determining ways to reduce the prevalence of iron deficiency anemia among pregnant women in Korea. We collected dietary information and measured the biochemical status of iron in 171 pregnant women over 16 weeks of gestation (=16.7$\pm$2.34 week). Dietary intakes for 3 days were collected using the 24 hour recall and food record methods. The daily Fe intake was measured using the food frequency method. The Body Mass Index (BMI), calculated by using the pre-pregnancy weight and height, indicated that 31.3% of subjects were under-weight. We divided the subjects into normal and anemic group by using the serum ferritin levels. It appeared that the mean dietary intake of iron was 52.3% of the recommended level for pregnant women. The dietary quality evaluation showed that pregnant women ate only 58% of the recommended amount in the food groups of meat, fish, eggs, beans and milk and dairy products. The hematological indices showed that the mean Hemoglobin (Hb) was 11.9 g/dl, Hematocrit (Hct) was 35.1%, ferritin was 23.9 $ng/ml$, and transferrin was 297.3 ${\mu}g/dl$. The dietary intake of iron was significantly lower and the vitamin C intake was significantly higher in the anemic group. The pre-pregnancy BMI was significantly lower in the anemic group. Variables affecting iron intake were the Fe intake frequency index and the food group score. The Fe index showed significantly positive correlation with the pre-pregnancy food intake and the food group score. Hb showed a significantly positive correlation with the pre-pregnancy food intake. We concluded that strategies to improve iron status be implemented in the pre-pregnant stage so as to reduce the prevalence of iron deficiency and that we should stress on the importance of an adequate diet as well as the maintenance of a heathy weight.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.805-817
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• 2008

The aim of this study was to determine the predictors of desirable pregnancy outcomes. The subjects were 795 pregnant women participating in the 2007 Mom and Baby Expo. They were grouped by gestational age: group I (3-12 wk: n = 95), group II (13-25 wks: n = 263) and group III (26-42 wks: n = 437). We collected data for general characteristics, sociocultural factors, life styles and nutrient intakes. We also collected pregnancy outcome data of 634 pregnant women including birth weight, maternal weight gain and gestational age. Dietary intakes of the subjects were estimated by Food Frequency Questionnaire. folate, iron and calcium intakes from foods of pregnant women were 88%, 79% and 58% of KDRIs, respectively. Bivariate analysis showed that birth weight was significantly associated with pre-pregnancy BMI, maternal weight gain, maternal age, gestational age and intakes of iron, potassium, $vitaminB_1$, $B_6$, fatty acids, MUFA. And also, bivariate analysis showed that maternal weight gain was significantly associated with pre-pregnancy BMI, maternal age, gestational age and intakes of energy, potassium. Further multivariate analyses suggest that vitaminB6 may be a significant predictor for low birth weight and energy intake and maternal age for maternal weight gain. Our findings suggest that dietary and lifestyle interventions during pregnancy can improve maternal and infant pregnancy outcomes. Prepregnancy weight control and intakes of energy and vitamin $B_6$ need to be taken into considerations in developing strategic prenatal care programs to promote desirable pregnancy outcome.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.467-475
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• 2006

The necessity of adequate pregnancy weight gain for optimal pregnancy outcome has been recognized. However, the specific components of pregnancy weight gain that might be critical for fetal growth and development have not been elucidated clearly. The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation of pregnancy weight gain and birth weight with serum leptin levels in women delivered newborns. The subjects were recruited from K university hospital. The subject's characteristic data (age $32.1\;{\pm}\;4.3\;y$, gestational age $39.5\;{\pm}\;1.1wk$, pre-pregnancy weight $58.0\;{\pm}\;8.6\;kg$, pregnancy weight gain $12.7\;{\pm}\;5.5\;kg$, newborn's birth weight $3.5\;{\pm}\;0.5\;kg$) were gathered. Maternal dietary assessment was carried out at the end of pregnancy. After delivery, blood samples were collected from 20 mother-newborn pairs. Serum levels of various lipids and leptin were analyzed. Maternal daily consumption of iron, zinc, folate were lower than the RDA of each nutrient and index of nutritional quality was less than 1 showing that the quality of maternal diet was low. The levels of serum leptin of mothers and infants were $10.2\;{\pm}\;6.7\;ng/ml$ and $1.7\;{\pm}\;0.6\;ng/ml$, respectively. The serum leptin concentrations of male infants $(1.9\;{\pm}\;0.7\;ng\;ml)$ were not different from that of females $(1.7{\pm}0.5\;ng/ml)$. A negative correlation was found between the maternal pre-pregnant BMI and weight gain during pregnancy (r = -0.54, p < 0.05). There was a positive correlation between the pregnancy weight gain and the newborn's birth weight (r=0.59, p < 0.01 There were also positive correlation between newborn's birth weight and newborn's serum leptin levels (r = 0.57, p < 0.01). No correlations were found between maternal serum leptin levels and that of newborn's. Efforts should be made to attain adequate diet and weight gain during the pregnancy to reduce the likelihood of low or over birth weight of newborns.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.121-129
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• 2009

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of the yoga during pregnancy on the maternal weight, delivery experience and infant birth weight. Method: The nonequivalent control group pre test-post test design was used. The participants were the healthy pregnant women, whose pre-pregnancy BMI was normal, gestational period was more than 20 weeks. The final sample consisted of 21 mother-infant dyads for experimental group and 20 dyads for control group and who agreed to participate in this study. Data were collected from February I st to December 15th, 2006. The Qi exercise prenatal program was carried out for 90 minutes a day, 2 times a week for 12 weeks. The data were analyzed using SPSS 16.0 Program. Result: The degree of maternal weight gain(p<.001), labor pain(p<.001), discomfort after delivery(p<.001) and infant's birth weight(p<.00I) were significantly different between two groups. Conclusion: The yoga during pregnancy managed weight gain of mothers. Therefore, this study suggests that yoga during pregnancy to promotes stabilization can be beneficial for maintaining healthy weight, decreasing labor pain and discomfort after delivery for pregnant women and increasing infant's birth weight.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.6 no.5
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• pp.734-743
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• 2001

Iron deficiency anemia is a worldwide public health problem relevant to unsound nutritional practice. While the prevalence of iron deficiency anemia is very common among pregnant women, appropriate nutritional service programs to improve the iron status are lacking in Korea. In an attempt to develop a nutritional screening tool to separate the high-risk subjects of iron deficiency, we carried out a nutritional survey for 115 Korean pregnant women whose gestational age ranged from 13 to 24 weeks. Each subject was interviewed with questionnaires for general characteristics and dietary habits. Food intake was measured by 24-hour recap method and 2 day record. Fasting blood was drawn for measuring hemoglobin and serum ferritin. It appeared that half of the pregnant women belonged to the anemia group and had insufficient dietary habits to provide adequate amounts of dietary iron. The first gravida and the working women had better hematological iron indicators than the second or more gravida and the housewives. It also appeared that women who had bigger family size and lower BMI in pre-pregnancy had poorer iron status. Among the food consumption habits, fruit dependent dietary habit was related to poor iron status. Sufficiently consumed green leafy vegetable and appropriate amount of food before morning sickness were positive factors of iron stares. Our results indicated that parity, BMI, current job, family size, food habits including consumption of fruits, green & yellow vegetables, and food habits before the onset of morning sickness are significant factors to contribute the Fe deficiency anemia during pregnancy.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.141-151
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• 2010

Gestational age and infant birth weight are influenced by gestational weight gain. This study was aimed to examine the effects of gestational weight gain on pregnancy outcomes. Pregnant women were recruited at two hospitals in Seoul area. Characteristics and dietary intakes of pregnant women were obtained using 24-hour recall questionnaires. Gestational weight gain was categorized as less (Under-gain) than, within (Recommended gain), or greater (Over-gain) than the Institute of Medicine guidelines. Maternal height and pre-pregnancy weight in the over-gain group significantly higher than under-gain and recommended gain group. Mini dietary assessment score of eating bean has significantly higher in under-gain group than recommended gain group and eating kimchi has significantly higher in undergain group than over-gain group. Score of eating fruit was significantly higher in over-gain group than other groups. The mean intake of carbohydrate in the recommended gain group were significantly higher than under-gain group, and mean intake of potassium in the over-gain group were significantly higher than under-gain group. Under-gain group showed the high rate of the preterm delivery and low birth weight infant delivery. However recommended gain group showed 46% reduced risk of preterm delivery (OR = 0.54 CI = 0.30-0.98). Risk of macrosomia increased with increasing gestational weight gain (p for trend < 0.05). In conclusion, pregnancy outcomes were influenced by gestational weight gain. Therefore, these finding suggested adequate gestational weight gain according to BMI for reducing the risk of preterm delivery, low birth weight and macrosomia.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.41 no.8
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• pp.776-785
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• 2008

Maternal stress was one of the common symptoms that pregnant women could have experienced during pregnant period. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relation of maternal stress with maternal nutrients intake and pregnancy outcome. Subjects were 248 pregnant women and were recruited at two hospitals in Seoul area. Individual stress levels were divided by the stress scores (total 41 scores), as low stressed group (< 12) and high stressed group (${\geqq}12$). The social characteristics, nutrient intake, anthropometric measurements and pregnancy outcome were compared between low stressed group (LSG) and high stressed group (HSG) to recognize risk factor of maternal stress. We found that subjects experience stress by various factors which were concern about newborn (40.4%), concern about health (28.8%), economic difficulties (13.2%), depress (10.1%), family relationship (2.9%), concern of house work (2.5%), human relationship (2%). In HSG, unemployed rate (p < 0.05) and pre-pregnancy BMI (p < 0.05) were higher than in LSG. Family size in HSG was larger than that in LSG (p < 0.01). Doing regular exercise with the light activity level was significantly higher in LSG (p < 0.05). The nutrient intake in LSG was slightly higher than that in HSG, but not statistically significant. Pregnancy outcome was not significantly affected by the maternal stress. In conclusion, the risk of maternal stress may be related with a life style during pregnancy. Therefore, life style for maternal stress control, such as weight control and regular exercise is recommended to prevent maternal stress.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.137-145
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• 2009

Objectives: This study was performed to elicit the effectiveness of a herbal formula, Kamisoyo-san (Jiaweixiaoyaosan) on enhancing ovarian function in infertile woman with ovarian dysfunction. Methods: 28 patients who initially visited between November 2006 and February 2009 and were administered Kamisoyo-san until May 2009 were retrospectively evaluated for their ovarian function by means of basal FSH (b-FSH), menstrual cycle, body mass index (BMI), and body fat ratio. To identify the major factor of improving ovarian function, 28 patients were classified into two groups by criteria of patent factors, such as pre-administration b-FSH, patient age, and treatment duration, respectively. Two groups were compared in terms of pregnancy percentage, b-FSH, menstrual cycle, BMI, and body fat ratio. Results: Post-administration b-FSH significantly decreased in comparison with pre-administration (p=0.004). The higher group (b-FSH $\geq$ 25mIU/mL) in pre-administration b-FSH was more effective in decrease of post-administration b-FSH than the lower one (10mIU/mL < b-FSH < 25mIU/mL). Conclusion: Kamisoyo-san may have a therapeutic effect on the infertility of child bearing period woman with ovarian dysfunction.