Basal metabolic rates of Turkish women during pregnancy

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the basal metabolic rates (BMRs) of pregnant Turkish women and to compare them with values from other countries. Twenty-four pregnant women (aged 24.8+/-5.7 years) were studied longitudinally from early pregnancy through to the end of pregnancy. BMR values were measured in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimesters by indirect calorimetry. While the measured BMR significantly increased (279+/-212 kcal/day between the 1st and 3rd trimesters), no change was found when BMR was expressed per unit of body weight. BMR in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters showed a significant correlation with body weight. The BMR increase in pregnant Turkish women was close to that reported in developed countries, and higher than that reported in developing countries. Knowing the metabolic changes of the pregnant women may contribute to dietary recommendations for them.