This study indicates that maternal obesity is associated with low first trimester serum progesterone. Pre-pregnancy weight optimization may be beneficial in regulation of serum progesterone level and maintenance of healthy pregnancy.

Low serum progesterone in the first trimester is a significant risk factor for LBW and possibly other placental dysfunction disorders such as hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Further studies with larger sample sizes are needed to confirm the associations.

Background We aimed to study gestational weight gain (GWG) in a Singaporean population and compare it with Institute of Medicine (IOM) 2009 GWG guidelines. Methods Nine hundred twenty-six women with low-risk singleton pregnancy were enrolled in a prospective cohort study from 2010 to 2014 in a Singapore tertiary maternity hospital. Seven hundred twenty-four patients had maternal weight information till term pregnancy and were included in analysis. Participants were categorized according to their first antenatal visit body mass index (BMI) as underweight, normal weight, overweight and obese. Total GWG for each BMI group was calculated. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to determine the predictors of total GWG above and below IOM guidelines. Results Obese women had a mean total GWG (9.1 kg) that exceeded the upper limit IOM guidelines (9 kg). In multivariate analysis of predictors of total GWG above IOM guidelines, being overweight (adjusted OR: 3.91 [95% CI, 2.60–5.88]; p < .0001) and obese (adjusted OR: 4.78 [95% CI, 2.80, 8.15]; p < .0001) significantly increased the risks of gaining weight above IOM guidelines during pregnancy, compared to being normal weight. Conclusions Overweight and obesity are independent significant risk factors for gaining excessive gestational weight. Appropriate weight management for overweight and obese Singaporean women prior to and during pregnancy is important. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12884-019-2443-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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(Eur J Anaesthesiol. 2019;36:745–754) Postpartum depression affects ∼20% of mothers in the first 3 months following childbirth, and can have significant long-term adverse effects. While many factors contribute to postpartum depression, intense labor pain is thought to be a risk factor. The use of epidural labor analgesia has been associated with a decreased risk of postpartum depression, but its impact on long-term depression is unclear. This study aimed to investigate whether neuraxial labor analgesia was associated with a reduced risk of maternal depression at 2 years postpartum.