Associations between gestational weight gain and weight development of the offspring: Differences depending on maternal pre-pregnancy BMI

Charlotte Barzen; Mandy Vogel; Wieland Kiess; Tanja Poulain

doi:10.1007/s00404-024-07487-1

Associations between gestational weight gain and weight development of the offspring: Differences depending on maternal pre-pregnancy BMI

Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2024 Apr 13. doi: 10.1007/s00404-024-07487-1. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Charlotte Barzen¹, Mandy Vogel^{2

3}, Wieland Kiess^{2

3}, Tanja Poulain^{2

3}

Affiliations

¹ LIFE Leipzig Research Center for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Philipp-Rosenthal-Strasse 27, 04103, Leipzig, Germany. charlottebarzen@gmail.com.
² LIFE Leipzig Research Center for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Philipp-Rosenthal-Strasse 27, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
³ Department of Women and Child Health, Hospital for Children and Adolescents and Center for Paediatric Research (CPL), Leipzig University, Liebigstraße 20a, Haus 6, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.

PMID: 38609672
DOI: 10.1007/s00404-024-07487-1

Abstract

Purpose: Obesity rates are rising, and the gestational weight gain (GWG) of most women does not comply with current guidelines. This study assesses the association of pre-pregnancy BMI (ppBMI) and GWG with the child's weight development and investigates whether associations with GWG differ depending on ppBMI.

Methods: Data were obtained from the cohort study LIFE Child (Germany), comprising 691 mother-child pairs. Children's weight was followed until age five. Associations between maternal ppBMI, GWG, and children's weight were evaluated using regression analyses.

Results: The association between GWG and birth weight (BW) was significantly positive in normal and underweight (n/u) women (β_GWG = 0.05, p < 0.01, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.03-0.07), but not in women with overweight or obesity (o/o) (β_GWG = 0.0002, p = 0.99, 95% CI -0.03 to 0.03). The risk of giving birth to an infant who was large for gestational age (LGA) increased with rising GWG in n/u women (OR = 1.6, p < 0.01, 95% CI 1.23-2.25). Women with o/o were at increased risk for a LGA baby regardless of GWG (OR = 3, p < 0.01, 95% CI 1.34-6.97). This trend persisted in the child's weight development during the first 5 years of life.

Conclusion: Women with o/o might increase their offspring's risk for higher weight at birth and in early childhood. In n/u women, GWG might be the more influential factor. Women should strive for normal weight before conception and should be more attentive to GWG.

Keywords: Birth weight; LGA; Maternal body mass index; Obesity; Pregnancy.