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Adolescent gestational weight gain and birth weight
C Stevens-Simon1, E R McAnarney, K J Roghmann
1Division of Adolescent Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, NY.
Pediatrics
|December 1, 1993
Summary
Younger adolescents (<16) show a significant link between gestational weight gain and birth weight, transferring more weight to fetuses than older teens. This challenges the nutrient competition theory.
Area of Science:
- Maternal-fetal medicine
- Adolescent health
- Nutritional science
Background:
- Maternal age and weight gain influence infant birth weight.
- Adolescent pregnancies present unique nutritional considerations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between maternal age, prepregnancy weight, gestational weight gain, and birth weight in low-income Black adolescents.
- To determine if younger adolescents compete with their fetuses for nutrients.
Main Methods:
- Study included 141 low-income Black adolescents receiving prenatal care before 23 weeks gestation.
- Exclusion criteria: chronic diseases, regular medications, uterine anomalies.
- Analysis controlled for prepregnancy weight and confounding variables.
Main Results:
- Significant association between gestational weight gain and birth weight found in younger adolescents (<16 years).
- No significant association found in older adolescents (16-19 years).
- Younger adolescents transferred a greater proportion of gestational weight gain to fetuses compared to older adolescents.
Conclusions:
- Findings do not support the nutrient competition theory in younger adolescents.
- Younger adolescents appear to prioritize fetal growth more effectively than older adolescents regarding gestational weight gain transfer.