Abstract

Thin study measured dietary intakes in late pregnancy and psychological stress during the period of gestation and examined the roles of diet and psychological stress in pregnancy weight gain and infant birth weight. Study subjects were 98 pregnant women who delivered infants at 2 general hospitals in Taejon city. Mean weight gain during pregnancy was 14.6+/-4.89Kg. Mean infant birth weight was 3.39+/-0.62kg in males and 3.28+/-0.43Kg in females. Mean energy and protein intake levels were adequate, but mean iron and calcium intakes were only 61.2+/-14.9% and 79.1+/-18.2% of RDA, respectively. Fat intake which constitutes 22.0+/-4.3% of total energy intake, and animal protein intake which constitutes 22.0+/-4.3% of total energy intake, and animal protein intake which constitutes 53.7% of total protein intake were moderately high. Though mean energy, fat, animal protein, and meat protein intakes in the low psychological stress group were higher than those in the middle or high stress group, psychological stress did not significantly affect pregnancy weight gain and infant birth weight. High intakes of nutrients except for dairy protein, iron, and niacin were associated with higher pregnancy weight gain and high intakes of protein and meat protein were associated with higher infant birth weight. It is concluded that dietary intakes during pregnancy has effects on pregnancy weight gain and infant birth weight, and psychological stress has no direct effect on them.

• Keywords: pregnancy; diet; stress; weight gain; birth weight