Design and Overview of PIN Postpartum

The PIN Postpartum Study is the first component of the PIN Study to follow women after delivery. The focus is on postpartum weight retention with an examination of diet, infant feeding, physical activity, psychosocial factors, and health behaviors.

Field work involved follow-up visits with PIN women at 3-months and 12-months postpartum. These follow-up visits began in 2003 and by 2007, 688 women completed the 3-month interview and 550 women completed the 12-month interview.

Women were asked to complete the following at each in-home visit:

an assessment of height, weight, and percent body fat using bioelectrical impedance
an interview about diet, breastfeeding status, body image, behaviors, health and work status, physical activity, and psychosocial measures
a food frequency questionnaire

Focus groups during pregnancy and in-depth interviews during the postpartum period were conducted among a subset of women to collect qualitative information on barriers and enhancements to physical activity, healthy eating, and weight loss during the postpartum period.

Information from this study has been used to identify modifiable behaviors for pregnant women that are associated with gaining weight above the recommended ranges and postpartum weight retention.