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The relationship between the intrauterine environment and blood pressure in 3-year-old Japanese children
N Hashimoto1, T Kawasaki, T Kikuchi
1Department of Paediatrics, Niigata University School of Medicine, Japan.
Insights
Lower birth weight and higher maternal blood pressure during pregnancy are linked to increased systolic blood pressure in Japanese children by age 3. Maternal edema during pregnancy also correlated with higher child systolic pressure.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Cardiovascular Health
- Prenatal Influences
Background:
- Systolic blood pressure (SBP) in childhood is a critical indicator of cardiovascular health.
- Maternal health during pregnancy can significantly impact offspring development and long-term health outcomes.
- Understanding prenatal and birth-related factors influencing pediatric SBP is crucial for early intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the correlation between birth weight, maternal SBP during pregnancy, and child SBP at 3 years of age.
- To examine the association between maternal pretibial edema during pregnancy and child SBP at 3 years.
- To identify early life predictors of elevated SBP in Japanese children.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study involving 195 Japanese children.
- Analysis of correlations between birth weight, maternal SBP during pregnancy, and child SBP at 3 years.
- Comparison of child SBP based on the presence or absence of maternal pretibial edema.
Main Results:
- A significant inverse correlation was found between birth weight and child SBP at 3 years (e.g., children >3510g birth weight had lower SBP).
- A positive correlation was observed between maternal SBP during pregnancy and child SBP at 3 years (0.12 mmHg increase per 1 mmHg maternal increase).
- Children born to mothers with pretibial edema during pregnancy exhibited significantly higher SBP at 3 years (101.0 mmHg) compared to those without edema (96.6 mmHg).
Conclusions:
- Birth weight and maternal SBP during pregnancy are significant predictors of child SBP at 3 years of age.
- Maternal pretibial edema during pregnancy is associated with elevated SBP in offspring by age 3.
- These findings highlight the importance of monitoring maternal health and considering birth parameters for pediatric cardiovascular risk assessment.
Abstract:
In 195 Japanese children the systolic pressure at 3 years of age was inversely correlated to the body weight at birth and positively correlated to the mothers' systolic pressure during pregnancy: the average systolic pressure in children whose body weight at birth exceeded 3510 g was 3.0 mmHg, which was lower than that of children whose body weight at birth was 2990 g or less. There was an increase of 0.12 mmHg in the children's systolic pressure with each increment of 1 mmHg in the systolic pressure of their mothers. The systolic pressure at 3 years in children of mothers who had had pretibial oedema during pregnancy (101.0 +/- 8.8 mmHg) was significantly higher compared with children whose mothers did not have oedema (96.6 +/- 9.6 mmHg).