Prenatal food insecurity: how is it related to pregnancy and birth outcomes among low‐income women

The objectives were 1) To assess the occurrence/severity of food insecurity; and 2) Examine total weight gain, birth weight, and associations with prenatal food insecurity among low‐income pregnant women.

Women meeting the following criteria: 1) receiving WIC, 2) 蠅 18 years, and 3) in 2nd trimester, were recruited.Women were interviewed at the WIC clinic to collect socio‐demographic data, food security status and pre‐pregnancy BMI. Food security was measured using USDA Food Security scale. Upon delivery, review of pre/post natal records was conducted to collect maternal weight gain, gestational age and birth weight of infants.

In total, 198 pregnant women were recruited. On average participant's monthly income was $576. Half of participants were African American, 21% white and remaining were Hispanic and other origins. Low/very low food security was reported by 51%. A majority of participants (63%) had pre‐pregnancy BMIs in overweight/obese categories. Depression during pregnancy was significantly higher among participants experiencing low/very low food security (p = 0.02). Of the 60 women who delivered babies, only 27% met the IOM recommendations for pregnancy weight gain. Almost 1/3 of newborns had non‐normal birth‐weight (<5.8 lb or >8.0 lb). Though not significant, an overweight/obese pre‐pregnancy BMI was more common among food secure/marginally secure women.

In conclusion, food insecurity appears to be common among low‐income women. They may also be at higher risk of poor pregnancy outcomes as this sample indicates that they are gaining above IOM recommendations and starting pregnancy with higher BMIs. This highlights a need to further examine the role prenatal food insecurity plays in predicting pediatric obesity by mediating weight gain and birth weight. Funded by: NCATS‐NIH, grant #1UL1TR001111.