Table 3 Characteristics of included case–control and cross-sectional studies in systematic review of psychological antecedents of excess gestational weight gain

Bagheri 2013 [35] (2010)

Women referred for prenatal care to a large women’s hospital in the south of Tehran, Iran

Fifteen to forty-six year-old pregnant women who were referred for prenatal care in a women’s hospital; >34 weeks and had a singleton pregnancy; cases were defined as pregnant women who gained weight in excess of Institute of Medicine guidelines and controls as women who gained weight within the guidelines; excluded: pregnant women with abnormal fetuses and those who received hormonal treatment during pregnancy or had diabetes, hypertension, thyroid or, renal chronic diseases

Conway^$ 1999 [38] (1995–1996)

A large London hospital in United Kingdom

Caucasian women, who were expecting their first or second singleton baby, >18 years and free from known medical conditions which might affect nutrition or fetal outcomes

Dipietro^$ 2003 [40] (NR)

Obstetric clinic in Baltimore, USA

Women with low risk, normal, singleton pregnancies, delivered at term, and with no history of smoking; predominantly well-educated, middle class women

McDonald^$ 2013 [61] (2012)

Seven obstetrical and two midwifery clinics in southwestern Ontario, Canada

Women who had had at least one prenatal visit, could read English sufficiently well to complete the survey, and had a live singleton pregnancy

Sangi-haghpeykar^$ 2013 [51] (2011)

Women delivering at a general hospital in Houston, USA

Women who were Hispanic, recruited immediately post-partum before leaving the hospital

Walker 2009 [56] (2000–2003)

Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) study data in New Mexico, USA

Hispanic mothers, ≥ 18 years, who had a singleton live birth during their most recent pregnancy, and had a full term (≤37 weeks) delivery