Maternal and Newborn Body Composition in South India
Author Information
Author(s): Veena Sargoor R, Krishnaveni Ghattu V, Wills Andrew K, Hill Jacqueline C, Fall Caroline HD
Primary Institution: Epidemiology Research Unit, Holdsworth Memorial Hospital, Mysore, South India
Hypothesis
The study aims to describe maternal and newborn body composition and their associations using principal components analysis.
Conclusion
Maternal nutritional status and parity are related to newborn adiposity, while newborn length is influenced by genetic factors.
Supporting Evidence
- Maternal fat was the strongest predictor of neonatal fat.
- Maternal height and pelvic size predicted neonatal trunk and head size.
- Paternal height was the only significant predictor of neonatal leg length.
Takeaway
This study looked at how the size and health of mothers can affect the size and health of their babies. It found that what mothers eat and how many babies they've had can change how much fat their babies have.
Methodology
The study used anthropometric measurements and principal components analysis to assess maternal and neonatal body composition.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the lack of information on maternal weight gain during pregnancy.
Limitations
Maternal measurements were taken in the third trimester, which may include fetal weight, and paternal data was limited to height and weight.
Participant Demographics
Mothers had a mean age of 24 years, mean height of 154.7 cm, and median BMI of 23 kg/m2; fathers had a mean age of 31 years and mean height of 167.2 cm.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Confidence Interval
95% CI for maternal fat and neonatal fat: 0.073, 0.241
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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