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Measurement of Survival Time in Brachionus Rotifers: Synchronization of Maternal Conditions
Published on: July 22, 2016
Poor maternal anthropometric status before conception is associated with a deleterious infant growth during the first
Gino Agbota1,2, Nadine Fievet1, Barbara Heude3,4
1MERIT, IRD, Université Paris 5, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France.
Insights
Maternal underweight before pregnancy is linked to lower infant birth weight and increased stunting risk. Preconception obesity and high gestational weight gain also impact infant growth, highlighting the need for early nutritional interventions.
Area of Science:
- Maternal and Child Health
- Nutritional Epidemiology
- Developmental Origins of Health and Diseases (DOHaD)
Background:
- The Developmental Origins of Health and Diseases (DOHaD) concept emphasizes critical exposures during the preconception period.
- Limited research exists on the impact of preconception anthropometric status on infant growth in sub-Saharan Africa.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of maternal preconception anthropometric status on infant growth in a sub-Saharan African cohort.
- To assess the association between prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) and gestational weight gain (GWG) with infant growth outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Prospective mother-child cohort study in Benin from preconception to 1 year postpartum.
- Maternal BMI categorized as underweight, normal, overweight, or obesity; GWG categorized as low, mild, or high.
- Infant stunting and wasting defined by WHO growth standards; statistical models used to evaluate associations.
Main Results:
- Preconceptional underweight was associated with significantly lower infant birth weight and weight at 1 year, and increased risk of stunting at 12 months.
- Preconceptional obesity and high GWG were linked to higher infant birth weight and length, and greater weight and length throughout the first year.
- Associations were adjusted for potential confounders using multivariate regression models.
Conclusions:
- Maternal preconception nutritional status (underweight and obesity) and gestational weight gain significantly influence infant growth trajectories.
- Interventions targeting maternal nutrition in the preconception period are crucial for supporting optimal child long-term health.
- Findings underscore the importance of early, preconception-focused public health strategies in sub-Saharan Africa.
Background:
According to the Developmental Origins of Health and Diseases concept, exposures in the preconception period may be critical. For the first time, we evaluated the effect of preconception poor anthropometric status on infant's growth in sub-Saharan Africa.
Methods:
A mother-child cohort was followed prospectively from preconception to 1 year old in Benin. Maternal anthropometric status was assessed by prepregnancy body mass index (BMI), approximated by BMI at the first antenatal visit before 7 weeks' gestation, and gestational weight gain (GWG). BMI was categorized as underweight, normal, overweight, and obesity according to World Health Organization standards. GWG was categorized as low (<7 kg), mild (7-12 kg), and high (>12 kg). In infant, stunting and wasting were defined as length-for-age and weight-for-length z scores less than -2 SD, respectively. We evaluated the association between BMI/GWG and infant's weight and length at birth and during the first year of life, as well as with stunting and wasting at 12 months using mixed linear and logistic regression models.
Results:
In multivariate, preconceptional underweight was associated with a lower infant's weight at birth and during the first year (-164 g; 95% CI, -307 to -22; and -342 g; 95% CI, -624 to -61, respectively) and with a higher risk of stunting at 12 months (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 3.98; 95% CI, 1.01-15.85). Furthermore, preconceptional obesity and a high GWG were associated with a higher weight and length at birth and during the first year.
Conclusion:
Underweight and obesity before conception as well as GWG were associated with infant's growth. These results argue for preventive interventions starting as early as the preconception period to support child long-term health.
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