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Trends in human birth weight across two successive generations
B Agnihotri1, B Antonisamy, G Priya
1Department of Child Health, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India.
Indian Journal of Pediatrics
|March 13, 2008
Summary
Parental birth weight significantly influences offspring birth weight in India. Both mothers and fathers with low birth weight have a higher risk of having babies with low birth weight.
Area of Science:
- Human Genetics and Developmental Biology
- Public Health and Epidemiology
Background:
- Birth weight (BW) is a critical indicator of neonatal health and long-term developmental outcomes.
- Understanding the intergenerational transmission of BW is crucial for public health interventions in India.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the correlation between parental birth weight and offspring birth weight in the Indian population.
- To quantify the risk of low birth weight (LBW) transmission across generations.
Main Methods:
- A two-generation birth cohort study utilizing data from 472 fathers and 422 mothers, and their 1525 offspring.
- Analysis included odds ratios and regression coefficients to assess the impact of parental BW on offspring BW, adjusting for confounders.
- Hospital records were used to obtain offspring birth weight data.
Main Results:
- Mothers with LBW had a 2.8 times higher risk of delivering LBW babies (p=0.02).
- Fathers with LBW had twice the likelihood of producing LBW babies (OR 2.2, p=0.05).
- Each 100g increase in maternal BW correlated with a 14g increase in offspring BW; paternal BW increase correlated with an 18.1g increase (p<0.001 for both).
Conclusions:
- Both maternal and paternal birth weights are significant determinants of offspring birth weight in India.
- The maternal effect on offspring BW appears weaker in India compared to developed nations, potentially due to higher intrauterine growth restriction.
- Paternal influence on offspring BW may be mediated through inherited paternal genes.
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