Maternal weight gain, infant birth weight, and diet: causal sequences

https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/53.6.1384Get rights and content

ABSTRACT

The causal sequence maternal nutrition maternal weight gain →infant birth weight is not sustained by available evidence except under extreme nutritional deprivation. For maternal weight change, diet effects of near starvation are unequivocal. With chronic undernutrition or social deprivation, diet effects are inapparent or modest (conditional on pregnancy stage, diet supplement, and prepregnancy weight). For birth-weight change, diet effects of near starvation are likewise unequivocal and modest with chronic undernutrition or social deprivation. The complete causal sequence has been demonstrated only below a famine threshold. Outside famine, effects are modest (conditional on baseline nutrition, timing, and content of diets, possibly also on infant sex and energy expenditure). High-protein concentrations have produced adverse effects. Micronutrients and consequent fluid retention could have favorable effects. Diet effects on birth weight apparently bypass maternal weight change. Hence, to enhance birth weight, maternal diet appears to deserve more attention than does weight gain.

References (58)

  • MetcoffJ et al.

    Effect of food suppiementation (WIC) during pregnancy on birth weight.

    Am J Clin Nutr

    (1985)
  • PrenticeAM et al.

    Increased birthweight after prenatal dietary supplementation of rural African woman.

    Am J Clin Nutr

    (1987)
  • RushD et al.

    The national WIC evaluation: evaluation of the special supplemental food program for women, infants and children.

    V Longitudinal study of pregnant women. Am J Clin Nutr

    (1988)
  • PollittE et al.

    Maternal nutritional supplementation during pregnancy interferes with physical resemblance at birth according to infant sex.

    Early Hum Dev

    (1982)
  • RossoP

    Nutrition and maternal-fetal exchange.

    Am J Clin Nutr

    (1981)
  • RiopelleAJ et al.

    Nutritional and environmental factors affecting gestation in rhesus monkeys.

    Am J Clin Nutr

    (1975)
  • LedermanSA et al.

    Effects of protein and carbohydrate supplements on fetal and maternal weight and on body composition in food restricted rats.

    Am J Clin Nutr

    (1980)
  • Hastings-RobertsMM et al.

    Effects of protein deficiency, pairfeeding, or diet supplementation on maternal, fetal and placental growth in rats.

    J Nutr

    (1977)
  • MorganBLG et al.

    Effects on the products of conception of protein supplementation of diets of rats.

    J Nutr

    (1977)
  • ZartarianGN et al.

    Marginal protein deficiency in pregnant rats: I.

    Changes in body composition. J Nutr

    (1980)
  • AndersonGD et al.

    Effects of maternal dietary restriction during pregnancy on maternal weight gain and fetal weight in the rat.

    J Nutr

    (1980)
  • EastmanMJ et al.

    Weight relationships in pregnancy.

    Obstet Gynecol Surv

    (1968)
  • NiswanderKR et al.

    Weight gain during pregnancy and prepregnancy weight; 2.

    Association with birth weight of term gestation. Obstet Gynecol

    (1969)
  • RushD et al.

    Antecedents of low birthweight in Harlem, New York City.

    Int J Epidemiol

    (1972)
  • SimpsonJW et al.

    Responsibility of the obstetrician to the fetus. II.

    Influence of prepregnancy weight gain on birthweight. Obstet Gynecol

    (1975)
  • WinikoffB et al.

    Anthropometric determinants of birth weight.

    Obstet Gynecol

    (1981)
  • BrownJE et al.

    Influence of pregnancy weight gain on the size of infants bom to underweight women.

    Obstet Gynecol

    (1981)
  • SeidmanDS et al.

    The effect of maternal weight gain in pregnancy on birth weight.

    Obstet Gynecol

    (1989)
  • McGanityWJ et al.

    The Vanderbilt cooperative study of maternal and infant nutrition. VI.

    Relationship of obstetric performance to nutrition. Am J Obstet Gynec

    (1954)
  • Cited by (116)

    View all citing articles on Scopus
    View full text