Development of an assessment form: attitude toward weight gain during pregnancy.

A Likert-format questionnaire with 18 statements expressing attitudes of pregnant women toward their own pregnancy weight gain was developed and tested. Attitudinal data and actual weight gain were obtained from 29 women to determine whether attitudes toward slimness affect weight gain during pregnancy. Forty-one percent of the respondents had a negative attitude toward pregnancy weight gain. Attitude scores related significantly with actual weight gains (p less than .025) but not with age and number of previous pregnancies. Knowledge of appropriate weight gain and recommendation of the doctor also exerted significant influences on weight gains (p less than .05). This study suggests that attitudes favoring slimness may relate to lower maternal weight gains during pregnancy.