Fetal growth and birth size is associated with maternal anthropometry and body composition

Abstract

The objective was to investigate the association of maternal weight, height and body composition with fetal growth. We recruited 425 women at the University Hospital of the West Indies, Jamaica, who had singleton pregnancies, were less than 15 weeks gestation and had no systemic illness. Maternal weight, height and skinfold thicknesses were measured at the first antenatal visit and lean mass was calculated. Sonographic measurements of the fetus were made at 15, 25 and 35 weeks gestation. Weight, crown-heel length and head circumference were measured at birth. Analyses were confined to 360 (85%) women; 65 women did not complete the study. Maternal height was positively associated with femoral length at 25 and 35 weeks gestation and with head circumference at 35 weeks (all P < 0.02). Maternal weight was positively associated with abdominal circumference and femoral length at 25 weeks, and with larger head and abdominal circumference and longer femur at 35 weeks (all P < 0.02). Maternal lean mass had similar associations to maternal weight and they were both positively associated with estimated fetal weight (all P < 0.02). All three maternal measurements were positively associated with birthweight, length and head circumference. Maternal size was associated with fetal size as early as 25 weeks gestation, with height strongly associated with femoral length, and with weight and lean mass strongly associated with abdominal circumference.

Maternal Education Mitigates the Negative Effects of Higher Income on the Double Burden of Child Stunting and Maternal Overweight in Rural Mexico

“…transition, which is characterized by increased dietary (energy) intake and reductions in physical activity (27,28). Maternal short stature (a consequence of stunting earlier in life) is also associated with lower birth length of the offspring (29), which in turn is associated with child stunting (30). The motherÕs height is thus potentially associated with her childÕs height, as well as with her being overweight/obese and her level of schooling.…”

Methylation of the C19MC microRNA locus in the placenta: association with maternal and chilhood body size

“…31,32 Different studies have shown that maternal size correlates with the offspring's growth and body composition. [33][34][35] Our results suggest a possible role for placental C19MC ICR methylation in the modulation of childhood growth. Similarly, placental DNA methylation at the IGF2-H19, GNAS and DLK1-DIO3 imprinted loci has been linked to pre and postnatal growth characteristics.…”

Growth and Life Course Health Development

“…Maternal nutritional well-being, either in terms of her actual intake or as summarized by her own size and body composition, influences her offspring's health through effects on fetal growth and birth size . Fetal nutritional adequacy is often assessed by proxy, based on maternal weight and weight gain during pregnancy, which positively predict fetal limb, head, and abdominal growth (Thame et al 2012;Neufeld et al 2004) as well as subcutaneous fat at birth (Yajnik et al 2003): within the normal range, larger mothers have larger babies. Maternal diet during pregnancy likewise affects neonatal outcomes, such that lower average birth weights have been reported following pregnancies among British women who consumed high carbohydrate intake in early pregnancy and those who consumed less dairy and meat protein in late pregnancy (Godfrey et al 1996).…”