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Updated: Aug 18, 2026

Fetal Echocardiography and Pulsed-wave Doppler Ultrasound in a Rabbit Model of Intrauterine Growth Restriction
Published on: June 29, 2013
Maternal growth during pregnancy and decreased infant birth weight
T O Scholl1, M L Hediger, I G Ances
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, SOM & Cooper Hospital/University Medical Center, Camden 08103.
Abstract:
We used stature and measurement of knee height to measure continued maternal growth during adolescent pregnancy in a sample of young gravidas (primigravidas and multiparas) and mature pregnant control subjects. Growth during pregnancy has been masked by a tendency of all gravidas to shrink while pregnant (approximately 0.5 cm over 6 mo of observation). Consequently, growth of many adolescent gravidas has not been clinically apparent. There was no effect on maternal growth during a first pregnancy in adolescence but this may be a result of the relatively good prepregnant nutrition status of the young gravidas in developed countries. Maternal growth during pregnancy, however, is associated with significantly decreased (-282 g, p less than 0.05) birth weight for infants when maternal growth continues during a subsequent adolescent pregnancy. This observation is consistent with the hypothesized competition between the metabolic demands of the growing adolescent mother and the nutrient needs of her developing fetus.
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