Disordered eating symptoms in the Antenatal and Postpartum Period

Abstract

Objective Pregnancy leads to marked changes in body weight and body shape and represents a major development transition. These changes faced by pregnant women may place them at high risk for developing disordered eating attitudes and behaviors. However, there is a lack of research focusing on disordered eating symptoms in antenatal and postpartum women despite their potential adverse impact on both mothers and infants. The present study aimed to examine if body mass index (BMI) and its change from pre-pregnancy were significantly associated with disordered eating symptoms; and if disordered eating symptoms in the third trimester of pregnancy could significantly predict disordered eating symptoms at 6-week and 6-month postpartum. Methods A prospective longitudinal survey design was used. A consecutive sample of 687 Chinese pregnant women from two public hospitals in Hong Kong was asked to complete the Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT-26) and report pre-pregnancy body weight (retrospective report), body weight and height in the third trimester, 6-week and 6-month postpartum. Results Disordered eating symptoms (EAT-26 scores) in the third trimester was not related to body mass index (BMI). Results of hierarchical multiple regressions showed that BMI was significantly associated with EAT-26 scores at 6-week (β=.18, t=2.67, p<.001) and 6-month postpartum (β=.18, t=2.00, p<.05). The change in BMI from pre-pregnancy to 6- week postpartum was also significantly associated with EAT-26 scores in 6-week postpartum (β=.17, t=2.42, p<.05). In addition, EAT-26 scores in third trimester significantly and independently predicted EAT-26 scores at 6-week (β=.23, t=2.54, p<.05) and 6-month postpartum (β=.50, t= 4.90, p<.001), even after adjusting for the effects of potential confounders. Conclusion Women with disordered eating during late pregnancy and who have high BMI in the postpartum period need to be monitored more closely as they are more likely to continue or develop disordered eating in early and latepostpartum period.