To investigate the joint effect of maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and gestational weight gain (GWG) on children’s cognitive development. We recruited 1685 mother–child pairs from the Ma’anshan Birth Cohort in China. Pre-pregnancy BMI and GWG were calculated based on the height and weights measured at multiple antenatal checkups. Children’s cognition was assessed by Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence-Fourth Edition. Poisson regression model was used to analyze the association between maternal pre-pregnancy BMI and children’s cognitive dimensions under different GWG categories. Women with overweight or obese before pregnancy were more likely to obtain excessive GWG. When women had excessive GWG, pre-pregnancy overweight was associated with low children’s PSI (OR = 1.69, 95%CI: 1.02–2.81) and pre-pregnancy obesity was related to poor VCI in children (OR = 3.71, 95%CI: 1.49–9.22), after adjusting for potential confounders. In pre-pregnancy underweight mothers, adequate GWG reduced the risk of below-average VSI in children (OR = 0.22, 95%CI: 0.05–0.92), but excessive GWG was related to low FSIQ in children (OR = 2.53, 95%CI: 1.34–4.76). In women with excessive GWG, maternal pre-pregnancy BMI displays an inverted U-shape association with children’s cognition. Moreover, adequate GWG in women with pre-pregnancy underweight was beneficial for children’s cognition.

Background: Epidemiological studies have identified maternal antenatal anxiety and adverse birth outcomes, but absence of epidemiological studies has examined the relationship with long term physical growth in children. Methods: 3,154 mother-child pairs were included based the Ma’anshan birth cohort study. Maternal prenatal anxiety was obtained by administering a questionnaire using the pregnancy-related anxiety questionnaire (PRAQ) scale during the 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimester. Body fat (BF) and body mass index (BMI) were collected on children from birth to 72 months. Group-based trajectory models were applied to fit the different trajectories of BMI and BF. Results: Maternal anxiety in the 2nd (OR = 0.81; 95% CI: 0.68 to 0.98) and 3rd (OR = 0.82; 95% CI: 0.68 to 0.98) trimester was associated with a decreased risk of RWG in the first year of life. Children aged at 48 to72 months of mothers with anxiety in the 3rd trimester had lower BMI (β = -0.145; 95% CI, -0.279 to -0.011) and BF (β = -0.194; 95% CI, -0.340 to -0.048), and these children were less likely to develop a very high BMI trajectory (OR = 0.59; 95% CI: 0.37 to 0.93), and a high BF trajectory (OR = 0.71; 95% CI: 0.52 to 0.98). A similar association was found between maternal anxiety simultaneously in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters and child physical growth. Conclusions: Maternal prenatal anxiety in the 2nd and 3rd trimester may decrease weight status in preschool-aged children, which may be related to reduced weight gain in infancy resulting in.

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Background Epidemiological studies have identified maternal antenatal anxiety and several adverse birth outcomes, but limited studies have focused on the relationship with the long-term physical growth of children. The study aimed to assess the influence of maternal pregnancy-related anxiety on physical growth in children at different exposure periods during pregnancy. Methods 3,154 mother-child pairs were included based on the Ma’anshan birth cohort study. Maternal prenatal anxiety was obtained by administering a questionnaire using the pregnancy-related anxiety questionnaire (PRAQ) scale during the 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimesters of pregnancy. Body fat (BF) (48 to 72 months) and Body Mass Index (BMI) (birth to 72 months) were collected repeatedly for children. Group-based trajectory models were applied to fit the different trajectories of BMI and BF. Results Maternal anxiety in the 2nd (OR = 0.81; 95% CI: 0.68 to 0.98; P < 0.025) and 3rd (OR = 0.80; 95% CI: 0.67 to 0.97; P = 0.020) trimesters was associated with a decreased risk of rapid weight gain (RWG) in the first year of life. Children aged 48 to 72 months of mothers with anxiety in the 3rd trimester had lower BMI (β = -0.161; 95% CI, -0.293 to -0.029; P = 0.017) and BF (β = -0.190; 95% CI, -0.334 to -0.046; P = 0.010), and these children were less likely to develop a very high BMI trajectory (OR = 0.54; 95% CI: 0.34 to 0.84; P = 0.006), and a high BF trajectory (OR = 0.72; 95% CI: 0.53 to 0.99; P = 0.043). Similar associations were found between maternal anxiety in both 2nd and 3rd trimesters and children’s physical growth. Conclusions Offspring of mothers with prenatal anxiety in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters predicts poorer growth in infancy and preschool age. Early improvement and treatment of prenatal anxiety could benefit physical health and development in early childhood.