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Associations of Early and Late Gestational Weight Gain with Infant Birth Size

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Abstract

Objectives

Associations of gestational weight gain (GWG) during specific periods of pregnancy with infant birth size have been inconsistent. Infant sex-specific differences in these associations are unknown

Methods

Information on GWG (kg) [total, early (<20 weeks gestation), and late (≥20 weeks gestation)] and indices of infant birth size including birthweight (BW), ponderal index (PI), crown-heel length (CHL), and head circumference (HC) was collected from 3,621 pregnant women. We calculated adjusted mean differences and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) relating total, early and late GWG to infant birth size using multivariable linear regression procedures. We used stratified analyses and interaction terms to test whether associations differed by infant sex.

Results

One-kg increases in total, early or late GWG were associated with BW increases of 17.2 g (95 % CI 13.8–18.9), 14.1 g (95 % CI 10.3–18.0), and 21.0 g (95 % CI 16.7–25.4), respectively. Early GWG–BW and late GWG–BW associations were different (p = 0.026). Sex-stratified total GWG–BW associations were similar to overall results. There were sex-specific differences in early GWG–BW and late GWG–BW associations. Among females, early GWG–BW (12.0 g, 95 % CI 6.7–17.2) and late GWG–BW (24.2 g, 95 % CI 18.2–30.3) associations differed (p = 0.0042); the corresponding associations did not differ among males. Total, early, and late GWG were associated with CHL and HC, but not with PI. Associations did not differ for early or late GWG.

Conclusions for Practice

For comparable GWG, late-GWG-related BW increase is greater than early-GWG-related BW increase, particularly among female infants.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by awards from the National Institutes of Health (R01HD-32562, T32 HD052462, and K01HL103174).

Conflicts of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, 1730 Minor Avenue, Suite 1360, Box 358085, Seattle, WA, 98101, USA

    Pandora L. Wander, Sylvia E. Badon, David S. Siscovick & Daniel A. Enquobahrie

  2. Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    Pandora L. Wander, Colleen M. Sitlani & David S. Siscovick

  3. New York Academy of Medicine, New York, NY, USA

    David S. Siscovick

  4. Department of Epidemiology, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA

    Michelle A. Williams

Authors
  1. Pandora L. Wander
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  2. Colleen M. Sitlani
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  3. Sylvia E. Badon
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  4. David S. Siscovick
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  5. Michelle A. Williams
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  6. Daniel A. Enquobahrie
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Pandora L. Wander.

Additional information

This study was conducted at Swedish Medical Center and Tacoma General Hospital, Seattle and Tacoma, Washington, U.S.A.

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Wander, P.L., Sitlani, C.M., Badon, S.E. et al. Associations of Early and Late Gestational Weight Gain with Infant Birth Size. Matern Child Health J 19, 2462–2469 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-015-1765-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-015-1765-3

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