Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 8, 2026
06:48
Clinical Anthropometrics and Body Composition from 3-Dimensional Optical Imaging
Published on: June 7, 2024
Body composition changes in the postpartum: a systematic review on measurements and predictors
Malith Kumarasinghe1, Andrew P Hills1, Kiran Dk Ahuja2
1School of Health Sciences, UTAS Health, University of Tasmania (UTAS), The Shed, 80, Cimitiere Street, Inveresk, Launceston, TAS, 7250, Australia.
BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth
|June 6, 2026
Summary
Maternal body composition changes postpartum, with waist circumference reducing significantly in the first month. Integrating body composition assessments beyond BMI is crucial for long-term maternal health management.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Health
- Maternal Medicine
- Body Composition Analysis
Background:
- Postpartum period is characterized by significant physiological changes.
- Understanding maternal body composition shifts is vital for long-term health.
- Existing research often focuses on Body Mass Index (BMI) alone.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review changes in maternal body composition and anthropometric indices postpartum.
- To identify factors influencing these postpartum body composition changes.
- To evaluate the current methodologies for assessing postpartum body composition.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of longitudinal observational studies with multiple postpartum measurements.
- Searched multiple databases (Medline/PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science, ProQuest) up to September 2025.
- Assessed risk of bias and synthesized data on body composition changes and influencing factors.
Main Results:
- 86 studies were included, analyzing 73 different body composition and anthropometric indices.
- Fat mass ratio/percentage was the most frequently reported measure.
- Waist circumference showed a significant reduction within the first month postpartum.
Conclusions:
- Postpartum body composition changes are complex and highly variable.
- Assessing body composition beyond BMI is essential due to links with adverse maternal health outcomes.
- Extended postpartum follow-up (beyond one year) could enhance clinical management of adiposity.
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