The Relationship between Pregnant Women's Early Growth Environment and Pregnancy Weight Change Patterns and Its Impact on Pregnancy Complications

Objective To construct a pregnancy weight change trajectory model, explore the relationship between pregnant women's early growth environment and pregnancy weight change patterns, and analyze the impact of pregnancy weight change patterns on pregnancy complications.Methods From June 2022 to May 2023, pregnant women were recruited through convenience sampling at a county maternal and child health hospital in Hubei Province. Basic information, current pregnancy status, and early growth environment data of the pregnant women were collected through electronic questionnaires and hospital information systems, and follow-up was conducted until delivery. A pregnancy weight change trajectory model was constructed to explore the relationship between early growth environment and pregnancy weight change patterns. A multivariate logistic regression model was established to analyze the association between pregnancy weight change patterns and pregnancy complications.Results A total of 305 subjects were included. The proportions of underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obese women before pregnancy were 11.1%, 60.3%, 20.0%, and 8.5%, respectively. In the early growth environment, nuclear or stem families accounted for the majority, while single-parent or reconstituted families accounted for 9.8%. Pregnant women with left-behind experiences and adverse childhood experiences accounted for 33.8% and 17.7%, respectively. The incidence of pregnancy complications was 9.8%, with the incidence of gestational diabetes and gestational hypertension being 7.9% and 3.0%, respectively. The optimal grouping of pregnancy weight change trajectories was four groups, divided into low, medium, relatively high, and high initial weight groups, all of which showed an inflection point in weight gain rate around the 10th week of pregnancy. Early family type and adverse childhood experiences were influencing factors of pregnancy weight change. Pregnant women in the high initial weight group had a higher risk of pregnancy complications (OR=6.42, 95%CI: 1.71-24.17).Conclusion Pregnancy weight change patterns can be divided into four trajectory subgroups, all of which have an inflection point in weight gain rate around the 10th week of pregnancy. Early family type and adverse childhood experiences affect pregnancy weight change patterns. Pregnant women in the high initial weight group have a significantly increased risk of pregnancy complications.