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Energy and Protein Intake During Pregnancy in Relation to Preterm Birth: A Case Control Study
Shally Awasthi1, M Chauhan, M Pandey
1Department of Pediatrics and *Obstetrics and Gynecology, King Georges Medical University, Lucknow, UP, India. Correspondence to: Dr Shally Awasthi, Professor, Department of Pediatrics, King Georges Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India. Shally07@gmail.com.
Objective:
To find the association of maternal energy and protein intake with preterm birth.
Design:
Case-control study.
Setting:
Two hospitals at Lucknow in Northern India.
Participants:
Cases (n=350) were defined as mothers (age 18-40 y) of singleton live preterm (<37 wks) neonates. Controls (n=350) were mothers who delivered a singleton neonate, consecutive to enrolled case, after completing 37 weeks of gestation.
Results:
There was a statistically significant lower mean (SD) energy intake [cases 1624 (249) Kcal vs. controls 1911 (341) Kcal; P<0.001] and protein intake [cases 32.1 (6.1) vs. controls 37.2 (7.0); P<0.001] among women who delivered preterm neonates. Maternal energy and protein intake had significant positive correlation with neonatal weight, length, foot length, head circumference and chest circumference.
Conclusion:
Lower energy and protein intake during pregnancy is possibly associated with preterm birth.
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