Obesity and pregnancy. An epidemiological and intervention study from a psychosocial perspective.

Maternal obesity and excessive gestational weight gain are both important
health care issues contributing to increased perinatal complications
in the short, medium and long term for both the mother and her
infant.

The epidemiological and psychological characteristics of maternal obesity and
related socio-demographic and obstetrical correlates, provide evidence for a tailored
weight management strategy for obese women before, during and after a pregnancy.

In this doctoral thesis, we identify socio-demographic, obstetrical and psychological
characteristics of maternal obesity, we find evidence for beneficial outcomes of a
lifestyle intervention programme in obese pregnant women, and we find support for
longer term perinatal complications with postpartum weight retention between the
first and second pregnancy.

Further development and implementation of preconception
programmes based on a bio-psycho-social model that explicitly recognizes the
individual needs and interacting lifestyle factors in obese women of reproductive
age in order to prevent pre-pregnancy obesity, excessive gestational weight gain and
postpartum weight retention is a challenge for the near future.

Annick Bogaerts obtained her bachelor degree in Midwifery in 1989 at the
‘Provinciaal Instituut voor Verpleegkunde’ Hasselt. In 1989 she started working as
a midwife at the maternity and delivery ward of Salvator Ziekenhuis, Hasselt. In
1996, she completed her master degree ‘Licentiaat Medisch-Sociale Wetenschappen’
and started to combine working as a midwife in the hospital with teaching at KHLim,
Catholic University College in midwifery education. In 1999, she completed
a ‘postgraduaat neonatologie’. In 2002, she left clinical practice to continue working
as a lecturer in midwifery education. In 2007, she started a PWO (Projectmatig
Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek) – project about Obesity and Pregnancy at KHLim
and PHL, Limburg University College, dpt Healthcare Research, under the supervision
of Ingrid Witters. In 2010, she started her PhD project under the supervision of
Roland Devlieger (KU Leuven/UZ Leuven) and Bea Van den Bergh (Universiteit van
Tilburg).