Total and trimester‐specific gestational weight gain and infant anthropometric outcomes at birth and 6 months in low‐income Hispanic families

Abstract

Objective To describe total and trimester‐specific gestational weight gain (GWG) among low‐income Hispanic women and determine whether these GWG exposures are associated with infant anthropometric outcomes at birth and 6 months. Study Design Data were from 448 mother‐infant pairs enrolled in the Starting Early child obesity prevention trial. Prenatal weights were used to calculate total GWG and 2nd and 3rd trimester GWG rates (kg/week) and categorized as inadequate, adequate, and excessive according to the 2009 Institute of Medicine recommendations. Multivariable linear and modified Poisson regressions estimated associations of infant anthropometric outcomes (birthweight, small‐for‐gestational age [SGA], large‐for‐gestational age [LGA], rapid weight gain, and weight‐for‐age, length‐for‐age, and weight‐for‐length z‐scores at 6 months) with GWG categories. Results For total GWG, 39% and 27% of women had inadequate and excessive GWG, respectively. 57% and 46% had excessive GWG rates in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters, respectively, with 29% having excessive rates in both trimesters. Inadequate total GWG was associated with lower infant weight and length outcomes (ß range for z‐scores = −0.21 to −0.46, p < 0.05) and lower risk of LGA (adjusted Relative Risk, aRR = 0.38; 95% confidence intervals, CI: 0.16, 0.95) and rapid weight gain (aRR = 0.72; 95%CI: 0.51, 1.00). GWG rates above recommendations in the 2nd trimester or 2nd/3rd trimesters were associated with greater weight outcomes at birth and 6 months (ß range for z‐scores = 0.24 to 0.35, p < 0.05). Conclusions Counseling women about health behaviors and closely monitoring GWG beginning in early pregnancy is necessary, particularly among populations at high‐risk of obesity.

Association among pre-pregnancy body mass index, gestational weight gain and neonatal birth weight: a prospective cohort study in China

“…Thus, GWG rate is preferable for exploring the relationship between trimester-specific weight change and infant birth weight even though the data collection is complicated. The overall prevalence of insufficient and excessive GWG rate varies in different regions [8,9]. Some studies showed that 12.5 and 57.9% of Chinese women had insufficient and excessive GWG rate respectively in 2013 [10], but the updated incidence rate is unclear.…”

“…In addition, most research in China is province-based or city-based and lacks representativeness. As for the association between GWG rate and birth weight, relevant studies are even mere, and the results are also inconsistent [8,16]. Furthermore, few studies have explored the dose-response relationship between women's body weight before or during pregnancy and infant birth weight.…”

Excess pregnancy weight gain in latinas: Impact on infant’s adiposity and growth hormones at birth

“…Latina women are at higher risk for excessive or inadequate weight gain compared with non-Hispanic women ( Deirelein et al, 2020 ). Previous studies suggest similar to our own findings that higher risk for excessive weight gain in Latinas is associated with pre-pregnancy overweight or obese status ( Dolin et al, 2020 ).…”

“…We had a relatively small percentage of our overall sample size that reported gestational gain below the IOM guidelines for adequate weight gain, a risk factor for low birthweight and preterm birth. As such, we did not assess or evaluate risk factors for low gestational weight gain in contrast with other studies with urban Latinas that have found a higher percentage of inadequate gain in their cohorts ( Deirelein et al, 2020 ). Our population was primarily foreign-born (Mexico and Central America) and with less than a high school education level.…”

Association of Maternal Gestational Weight Gain With Left Ventricle Geometry and Function in Offspring at 4 Years of Age: A Prospective Birth Cohort Study

“…Greater maternal pre-pregnancy weight and GWG were associated with higher systolic blood pressure (36), adverse accumulation of lipid and inflammatory profiles (9,44), increased risk of congenital heart disease (19,45), myocardial hypertrophy (16), hypertension (15), and premature death in later life in the offspring (46,47). The GWG in the second and third trimesters accounted for a majority of the total GWG and played an important role in offspring growth, adiposity, and metabolic state (48). It was a key period for organ development, including the heart, muscles, bones, and liver (48)(49)(50).…”