Thin women with a poor psychosocial profile and who are depressed during pregnancy are at increased risk of giving birth to low birth weight and preterm infants.

This study of low-income African-American children indicates that obese women are at risk of having children with diminished intellectual ability, but not motor skills.

Bacterial vaginosis (BV), a condition of altered vaginal flora, is associated with various adverse reproductive health outcomes. We evaluated the association between diet and the presence of BV in a subset of 1521 women (86% African-American) from a larger study of vaginal flora. Participants completed the Block Food Questionnaire and clinical assessments and self-report measures of sexual and hygiene behavior. A total of 42% of the women were classified as having BV (Nugent score > or = 7). Severe BV (Nugent score > or = 9 and vaginal pH > or = 5) was present in 14.9% of the women. BV was associated [adjusted OR (AOR)] with increased dietary fat (1.5, 1.1-2.4) after adjusting for other energy nutrients and behavioral and demographic covariates. Severe BV was associated with total fat (2.3, 1.3-4.3), saturated fat (2.1, 1.2-3.9), and monounsaturated fat (2.2, 1.2-4.1). Energy intake was only marginally associated (P = 0.05) with BV (1.4, 1.0-1.8). There were significant inverse associations between severe BV and intakes of folate (0.4, 0.2-0.8), vitamin E (0.4, 0.2-0.8), and calcium (0.4, 0.3-0.7). We conclude that increased dietary fat intake is associated with increased risk of BV and severe BV, whereas increased intake of folate, vitamin A, and calcium may decrease the risk of severe BV.

A low prepregnancy body mass index is one of strongest predictors of adverse pregnancy outcomes such as preterm birth and fetal growth retardation. A low body mass interacts with other risk factors such as smoking and stress to increase risk of these outcomes, whereas zinc supplementation and low-dose aspirin increase birth weight in thin but not normal-size women. The association between maternal thinness and adverse pregnancy outcomes may be mediated more by a low plasma volume than by decreased protein or energy status. Maternal micronutrient status may partially mediate plasma volume expansion in pregnancy. Therefore, improving maternal micronutrient status may reduce adverse outcomes through this mechanism.

The association of the behavioral disposition of John Henryism with blood pressure is dependent on the gender of the individual. Men and women face differing cultural expectations and social structural constraints in this community. The sociocultural context modifies the meaning of the behavioral disposition, and hence its effects.