Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 31, 2025

Long-term Behavioral and Reproductive Consequences of Embryonic Exposure to Low-dose Toxicants
07:08

Long-term Behavioral and Reproductive Consequences of Embryonic Exposure to Low-dose Toxicants

Published on: March 6, 2018

6.3K

Prenatal antibiotic exposure and birth weight

Nupoor Tomar1,2, Cecilie Skaarup Uldbjerg3, Bodil Hammer Bech3

  • 1Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, Australia.

Pediatric Obesity
|June 30, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Prenatal antibiotic exposure generally does not impact birth weight. However, exposure during the second to third trimester may be linked to lower birth weight, particularly in preterm male infants.

Area of Science:

  • Obstetrics and Gynecology
  • Pediatrics
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Emerging research links early-life antibiotic use to later obesity.
  • Limited data exists on prenatal antibiotic exposure and fetal growth.
  • This study investigates the relationship between prenatal antibiotic exposure and birth weight.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the association between antibiotic use during pregnancy and infant birth weight.
  • To explore potential differences in this association based on trimester of exposure, infant sex, and gestational age.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from the Danish National Birth Cohort and Danish National Medical Birth Registry.
  • Included 63,300 mother-child dyads from 1996 to 2002.
  • Employed multivariable linear regression, adjusting for predefined confounders.

Main Results:

  • Overall prenatal antibiotic exposure showed no significant association with birth weight.
  • Exposure during the second to third trimester was associated with a slight decrease in birth weight (p=0.03).
  • A significant association was observed between prenatal antibiotic exposure and higher birth weight in preterm male infants (p=0.03).

Conclusions:

  • Prenatal antibiotic exposure does not demonstrate a consistent association with birth weight.
  • Specific timing of exposure (second to third trimester) and infant sex (males) may modify the relationship with birth weight, particularly in preterm infants.
Abstract

Keywords:
birth weightfoetal growthmicrobiomeobesityprenatal antibiotics

More Related Videos

A Murine Model of Fetal Exposure to Maternal Inflammation to Study the Effects of Acute Chorioamnionitis on Newborn Intestinal Development08:50

A Murine Model of Fetal Exposure to Maternal Inflammation to Study the Effects of Acute Chorioamnionitis on Newborn Intestinal Development

Published on: June 24, 2020

3.9K
Neurodevelopmental Reflex Testing in Neonatal Rat Pups09:35

Neurodevelopmental Reflex Testing in Neonatal Rat Pups

Published on: April 24, 2017

20.5K

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...
3.3K
Environmental Influences on Intelligence01:29

Environmental Influences on Intelligence

Despite the strong genetic influence on traits like intelligence, environmental factors significantly shape outcomes. For example, while over 90% of height variation is due to genetic differences, environmental factors such as nutrition also have a notable impact. Similarly, for intelligence, changes in a child's surroundings can significantly alter their IQ. Research shows that enriched environments boost children's academic success and help them develop key cognitive skills. Children...
554
Regression Toward the Mean01:52

Regression Toward the Mean

Regression toward the mean (“RTM”) is a phenomenon in which extremely high or low values—for example, and individual’s blood pressure at a particular moment—appear closer to a group’s average upon remeasuring. Although this statistical peculiarity is the result of random error and chance, it has been problematic across various medical, scientific, financial and psychological applications. In particular, RTM, if not taken into account, can interfere when...
6.6K
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Excretion01:26

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Excretion

In pediatric medicine, understanding the renal function and drug elimination nuances is crucial for administering safe and effective treatments. Newborns, in particular, display markedly slower renal functions than adults, profoundly affecting how drugs are cleared from their bodies. This slower drug clearance requires clinicians to extend the dosing intervals for many medications to prevent drug accumulation and toxicity while ensuring therapeutic efficacy.One key area where these adjustments...
55