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Published on: March 25, 2016

Pre-pregnancy body mass index and biomarkers of inflammation at birth

Courtney Dow1, Olfa Khalfallah2, Cédric Galera3,4,5

  • 1Université Paris Cité and Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Inserm, INRAE, Centre for Research in Epidemiology and Statistics (CRESS), Paris, France. courtney.dow@inserm.fr.

International Journal of Obesity (2005)
|May 11, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Maternal high pre-pregnancy BMI is linked to increased inflammation markers like C-reactive protein (CRP) in cord blood. This suggests prenatal inflammation may impact fetal development and offspring health outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Perinatal epidemiology
  • Maternal and child health
  • Immunology

Background:

  • High pre-pregnancy Body Mass Index (BMI) and chronic inflammation may negatively impact fetal development and offspring health.
  • The link between maternal obesity and inflammatory biomarkers in mother or fetus is debated.
  • This study investigates the association between pre-pregnancy BMI and inflammation markers in maternal and cord blood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the association between pre-pregnancy BMI categories and inflammatory biomarkers in maternal serum and cord blood.
  • To explore potential links between maternal weight status and the fetal inflammatory environment.

Main Methods:

  • Pre-pregnancy BMI was categorized (underweight, normal, overweight, obese).
  • Inflammatory biomarkers (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, CRP) were measured in maternal serum and cord blood from two large birth cohorts (ELFE and EDEN).
  • Linear regression models adjusted for confounders were used to assess associations.

Main Results:

  • Pre-pregnancy obesity was associated with higher cord blood C-reactive protein (CRP) in the ELFE cohort.
  • Maternal overweight was linked to elevated cord blood CRP in the EDEN cohort.
  • Maternal underweight was associated with higher cord blood IL-10 in the ELFE cohort; no associations were found with maternal serum biomarkers.

Conclusions:

  • Elevated pre-pregnancy BMI is associated with increased CRP in cord blood, indicating heightened perinatal inflammation.
  • These findings highlight the importance of the prenatal inflammatory environment for offspring health.
  • Further research in larger cohorts and investigation into offspring outcomes are warranted.
Abstract

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