Knowledge Gaps Regarding Overweight and Obesity in Pregnancy: A Cross-Sectional Study Among Polish Women

TL;DR

A study of 958 Polish women found that many lack knowledge about the health risks of being overweight during pregnancy, despite education and healthcare access.

Contribution

The study identifies significant knowledge gaps among Polish women regarding maternal overweight and obesity risks, despite high education and healthcare engagement.

Findings

Over 75% of pregnancies experienced excessive gestational weight gain, including among women with normal BMI.

Only 6.2% of variability in maternal knowledge was explained by factors like antenatal classes, breastfeeding, and age.

Misconceptions about dietary recommendations and fetal risks were common despite high educational attainment.

Abstract

Background: Maternal overweight and obesity, which show a rising trend globally, are associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes and long-term health risks for both mother and child. Awareness and understanding of these risks among women of reproductive age are essential for effective prevention and early intervention. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey among 958 women planning pregnancy, currently pregnant or breastfeeding to assess their knowledge and attitudes regarding overweight and obesity in the perinatal period. The questionnaire covered lifestyle behaviors, breastfeeding practices, and knowledge related to overweight and obesity in pregnancy. Results: Overall knowledge regarding the consequences of maternal overweight and obesity was low, with notable deficits in understanding the associated health risks and frequent misconceptions about dietary recommendations during pregnancy. Awareness gaps were particularly noticeable in domains related to fetal outcomes and recommended energy requirements across pregnancy. Excessive gestational weight gain was reported in over 75% of pregnancies, including among women with normal body mass index. Participation in antenatal classes, current breastfeeding and older age were significantly associated with higher knowledge; however, these factors together explained only 6.2% of variability. Still, several key aspects were not well recognized despite high educational attainment and frequent contact with maternity care services. Conclusions: Our study highlights a clear and urgent need for better, more targeted educational strategies to improve women’s understanding of metabolic health and nutrition before and during pregnancy. The low explained variance indicates that maternal knowledge is influenced by multifactorial and not easily captured determinants, emphasizing the need for comprehensive and individualized educational approaches. Enhancing maternal awareness could support better health outcomes for both mothers and their offspring.

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