Impact of maternal nutritional status before and during pregnancy on neonatal body composition: A cross-sectional study

BackgroundThe existence of early factors which, acting during critical periods of intrauterine or immediate postnatal development, determine long-term health has become increasingly recognized. Both high and low birth weight have been associated with cardiovascular risk factors in adulthood. Therefore, body composition at birth rather than birth weight may be a marker to predict future diseases. Maternal weight previous to and gained during pregnancy is associated with intrauterine fetal growth.ObjectiveTo evaluate the correlation between maternal nutritional status before and during pregnancy and neonatal body composition.Material and methodsWe studied consecutive mother–child pairs at delivery at an Argentinean public hospital during 5 months period, evaluating maternal and neonatal anthropometry before 24 h of life as well as the history of the mother before and during pregnancy. Neonatal body composition was calculated according to a mathematical formula based on skinfold thickness measurement validated in newborns.ResultsMothers of newborns with high body fat mass were more frequently obese (72.7% versus 35.1%, p 0.005), and more frequently showed weight gain above 18 kg during pregnancy (76.4% versus 31%, p 0.03).ConclusionsOur findings confirm the hypothesis that maternal obesity before pregnancy is highly correlated with neonatal fat mass in the first hours of life.