Maternal weight trajectories between early pregnancy and four and nine months postpartum.

Over a generation there has been a dramatic increase in adult obesity levels in well-resourced countries. Maternal weight retention after pregnancy is variable. However, optimising weight management following childbirth may potentially reduce the long-term risks of obesity-related disorders such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer among women of childbearing age; as well as reducing their risk of obesity-related obstetric complications in future pregnancies. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Guidelines identified the postpartum period as a vulnerable life stage for weight gain. It has been suggested that more knowledge about weight management during the postpartum period is required. The Institute of Medicine (IoM) has also stated that there are gaps in the surveillance of postpartum weight retention (PPWR), and that findings should be reported by Body Mass Index (BMI) category. NICE identified the need for a population-based approach in