Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 5, 2026

Modeling Encephalopathy of Prematurity Using Prenatal Hypoxia-ischemia with Intra-amniotic Lipopolysaccharide in Rats
07:36

Modeling Encephalopathy of Prematurity Using Prenatal Hypoxia-ischemia with Intra-amniotic Lipopolysaccharide in Rats

Published on: November 20, 2015

How big is too big? The perinatal consequences of fetal macrosomia

Xun Zhang1, Adriana Decker, Robert W Platt

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, McGill University Faculty of Medicine, Montreal, QC, Canada.

American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology
|May 6, 2008
PubMed

Insights

High birthweight infants (over 4500g) face increased risks of perinatal death and neonatal morbidity. Especially birthweights over 5000g elevate risks for stillbirth, infant mortality, and cesarean delivery.

Area of Science:

  • Perinatal Medicine
  • Neonatal Health
  • Obstetrics

Background:

  • Determining optimal birthweight ranges is crucial for reducing adverse perinatal outcomes.
  • Understanding the relationship between high birthweight and specific risks is essential for clinical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify the birthweight threshold at which risks for perinatal death, neonatal morbidity, and cesarean delivery increase.
  • To investigate the causes and timing of these elevated risks associated with higher birthweights.

Main Methods:

  • A large-scale cohort study utilizing US-linked birth and death records from 1999-2001.
  • Analysis focused on singleton births to white non-Hispanic mothers, with gestational ages between 37-44 weeks and birthweights ≥2500g.

Main Results:

  • Birthweights between 4000-4499g showed no increased risk compared to 3500-3999g.
  • Birthweights of 4500-4999g were linked to significantly higher risks of stillbirth, neonatal mortality (particularly from birth asphyxia), birth injury, and cesarean delivery.
  • Birthweights ≥5000g demonstrated even greater risks, including sudden infant death syndrome.

Conclusions:

  • Birthweight exceeding 4500g, and particularly 5000g, is significantly associated with increased perinatal and infant mortality and morbidity.
  • These findings highlight the critical importance of monitoring and managing high birthweight infants to mitigate associated risks.
Abstract

More Related Videos

Concurrent Collection of Fetal Murine Brain and Serum to Assess Effects of Maternal Diet on Nutrition and Neurodevelopment in Neurofibromatosis Type 105:44

Concurrent Collection of Fetal Murine Brain and Serum to Assess Effects of Maternal Diet on Nutrition and Neurodevelopment in Neurofibromatosis Type 1

Published on: May 17, 2024

Related Concept Videos

Teratogenicity01:07

Teratogenicity

The ability of a drug to produce structural deformations and functional abnormalities in the developing embryo or the fetus is called teratogenicity, and the drug producing this effect is known as a teratogen. Teratogenic effects include stillbirth, miscarriage, intrauterine growth restriction, and neurocognitive delay. A teratogen may affect the embryo at different stages of development, which is important in determining the type and extent of the damage. During blastocyst formation, the early...
Obesity01:24

Obesity

The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a numerical value derived from a person's weight and height, used to categorize individuals into weight ranges. It is calculated using the formula: weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. Obesity is a health condition characterized by excessive accumulation of adipose tissue that poses health risks, often diagnosed with a BMI ≥ 30. This excess fat storage occurs when surplus dietary calories are converted into triglycerides and stored in adipocytes...
Pathophysiology of Diabetes01:20

Pathophysiology of Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia. The four categories of diabetes are type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, other specific types of diabetes, and gestational diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes is characterized by autoimmune-mediated destruction of pancreatic β cells, with environmental factors potentially triggering this process in genetically susceptible individuals. Despite many not having a family history, certain genes increase susceptibility, suggesting a...
Fetal Circulation01:14

Fetal Circulation

Fetal circulation is a unique system that facilitates the exchange of gases, nutrients, and waste products between the developing fetus and the mother. This intricate process takes place through a special organ called the placenta.
Two umbilical arteries transport blood from the fetus to the placenta. At the placenta, the blood absorbs oxygen and nutrients while simultaneously eliminating waste products. This oxygen-enriched and nutrient-rich blood then returns to the fetus through one...
Diabetes Mellitus: Type 2 and Gestational01:22

Diabetes Mellitus: Type 2 and Gestational

Type 2 diabetes, characterized by insulin resistance, arises when the insulin receptors on cells lose responsiveness to insulin, diminishing the cell's capacity to take up glucose, resulting in elevated blood glucose levels. To receive a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes, a series of blood glucose tests are necessary to assess whether the blood glucose falls within normal parameters. If the result is out of the normal range, a patient may be diagnosed as prediabetic or diabetic, depending on the...
Drug Dosing: Obese Patients01:21

Drug Dosing: Obese Patients

In the United States, obesity is a prominent concern. It is linked to heightened mortality rates due to increased occurrences of conditions such as hypertension, atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease, and diabetes compared to nonobese individuals. A patient is classified as obese if their actual body weight surpasses the ideal or desirable body weight by 20%, based on Metropolitan Life Insurance Company data. Ideal body weights consider average weights and heights for males and females...