ICPHSP2014

                                                                                                         

     “The impact of maternal pre-pregnancy BMI and gestational weight gain on infant birth weight”                                                     Click here to download Pdf file.     

 

 

Authors:       

 ¹PhD. Ela Peto, ²Prof. Xheladin Çeka, ³PhD. Sonela Xinxo, ¹Msc. Sonila Nika

               

Affiliations:  

¹Faculty of Public Health, University “Ismail Qemali” Vlora

²Medicine Faculty, Tirana

³Institute of Public Health, Tirana

 

 

Abstract:

Background: Health care providers inform women to start the pregnancy with a normal BMI and to limit gestational weight gain to the range specified for their pre-pregnancy BMI. According to birth weight by gestational age, using intrauterine growth curves (by Lubchenco), the newborns are classified: SGA (small for gestational age), AGA (appropriate for gestational age), LGA (large for gestational age).

 

Aim: To evaluate the impact of maternal pre-pregnancy BMI and gestational weight gain on birth weight and to estimate the risk of giving birth to an infant SGA or LGA as a function of maternal pre-pregnancy BMI and gestational weight gain.

 

Materials and methods: This is a cross-sectional study realized in Vlora Maternity during the time period of January-December 2013. In the study there were included 687 newborns and their mothers. We used a self administered questionnaire based on clinical charts of the ward. We defined pre-pregnancy BMI categories and gestational weight gain to WHO classification. Data were processed in Statistical Package SPSS 16, it is used univariate and multivariate analysis to calculate the odd ratio of SGA, LGA birth. The value of p<0.05 is considered significant.

 

Results: From 687 newborns, 21 cases (3%) resulted SGA, 583 cases (78%) AGA and 128 cases (19%) LGA. Compared with normal-weight mothers, maternal pre-pregnancy underweight increased the risk of SGA newborns (OR=1.6, p<0.05), pre-pregnancy overweight/obesity  increased the risk of LGA newborns (OR=1.8, OR=3.34, p<0.05). A gestational weight gain over recommendations was associated with an increased risk of delivering an infant LGA (OR=2.6, p<0.05). A gestational weight gain under recommendations increased the risk of delivering an infant SGA (OR=1.7, p<0.05).

 

Conclusion: Maternal pre-pregnancy BMI and gestational weight gain are important determinants on birth weight. 

 

Key words:

maternal pre-pregnancy BMI, gestational weight gain, SGA, LGA newborns