Personalized Management of Body Weight During Pregnancy

Expecting Success: Personalized Management of Body Weight During Pregnancy

The purpose of this study is to determine how to help manage weight gain during pregnancy. This study is part of the National Consortium 'LIFE-Moms: Lifestyle interventions in expectant moms'. LIFE-Moms is 7 studies funded to test different lifestyle interventions in overweight and obese pregnant women.

The study will last 22 months, from screening until study completion. The entire study will include 3 screening visits, receipt of weight management advice, second trimester testing, third trimester testing and three follow up visits during the first year after the baby is born. Participants will randomly be assigned to 1 of 3 programs to help manage their weight during pregnancy:

1. Physician Directed group
2. SmartMoms-Clinic group
3. SmartMoms-Phone group

Inclusion Criteria:

• Are pregnant.
• Are between 18 and 40 years old.
• Have a BMI (a number calculated from your height and weight) equal to or above 25kg/m2.
• Establish prenatal care before 12 weeks of your pregnancy.
• Can read, speak and understand English.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Do not plan to deliver your baby at Woman's Hospital, Baton Rouge, LA
• Are pregnant with more than one infant.
• Have habitually smoked during the last 6 months.
• Currently abuse or have abused illegal or prescription drugs in the last 6 months.
• Consume more than 2 alcoholic drinks per week.
• Are unwilling to avoid pregnancy for 12 months following delivery.
• Are unwilling to enroll your baby in the 12 month follow-up testing planned in this study.
• Are planning to move out of the area within the next 2 years or plan to be out of the study area for more than 1 month in the next year.
• Are unwilling to be assigned at random to any of the intervention groups.
• Are planning to terminate your pregnancy.
• Are planning to give your baby up for adoption.
• Are pregnant with a baby who has a known fetal anomaly.
• Have a reason that exercising is unsafe (determined by your physician or study staff).
• Have had or plan to have bariatric surgery within 1 year of your expected delivery.
• Currently have or have a history of the following:
• 3 or more first trimester miscarriages
• High blood pressure
• Type 1 diabetes
• Diagnosis of pregnancy related diabetes during screening
• HIV or AIDS
• Psychotic disorder, major depressive episode, bipolar disorder or eating disorder
• Any other pregnancy, blood, heart, lung, hormone, or digestive problem that your doctor considers unsafe for participation in this study