UC Davis

Background

Gestational weight gain (GWG) and anthropometric trajectories may affect foetal programming and are potentially modifiable.

Objectives

To assess concomitant patterns of change in weight, circumferences and adiposity across gestation as an integrated prenatal exposure, and determine how they relate to neonatal body composition.

Methods

Data are from a prospective cohort of singleton pregnancies (n = 2182) enrolled in United States perinatal centres, 2009-2013. Overall and by prepregnancy BMI group (overweight/obesity and healthy weight), joint latent trajectory models were fit with prenatal weight, mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC), triceps (TSF) and subscapular (SSF) skinfolds. Differences in neonatal body composition by trajectory class were assessed via weighted least squares.

Results

Six trajectory patterns reflecting co-occurring changes in weight and MUAC, SSF and TSF across pregnancy were identified overall and by body mass index (BMI) group. Among people with a healthy weight BMI, some differences were observed for neonatal subcutaneous adipose tissue, and among individuals with overweight/obesity some differences in neonatal lean mass were found. Neonatal adiposity measures were higher among infants born to individuals with prepregnancy overweight/obesity.

Conclusions

Six integrated trajectory patterns of prenatal weight, subcutaneous adipose tissue and circumferences were observed that were minimally associated with neonatal body composition, suggesting a stronger influence of prepregnancy BMI.