Early Weight Gain During Pregnancy: Does It Predict Baby's Fat Stores?

Fetuses of mothers with excess weight gain showed increased arm thickness and abdominal size throughout pregnancy.

Fetuses of individuals who gained excessive weight during the first trimester of pregnancy exhibit signs of increased fat distribution in the upper arm and abdomen ().

These findings may inform efforts to prevent excessive weight gain early in life, a risk factor for adult obesity and related conditions, such as heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.

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#Pregnant people gaining 4.4+ lbs in the first #trimester (1st 3 months) may have babies with larger #abdominal_circumference, area, and #armfat thickness. #pregnancy

The study, conducted by researchers at NIH’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and other institutions, appears in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

1st Trimester Weight: Impact on Fetus

The authors analyzed data from an earlier study of more than 2,600 singleton pregnancies, which included information on maternal weight before and during pregnancy and three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound scans (up to five) throughout pregnancy.

In contrast, most previous studies have not examined fetal 3D measures during pregnancy and have only linked total weight gain across pregnancy, not just in the first trimester, with birthweight.

Unintentional Weight Gain Symptom Evaluation
An inadvertent increase in bodyweight indicates weight gain. Necessary care like intake of a balanced diet and adequate physical activity is required to maintain good health and fitness.

The authors wrote that their findings suggest that the timing of weight gain, instead of total weight gain, could be important for developing efforts to prevent excess fetal size and reduce the risk of heart disease and other conditions later in life.

Reference:

Relationship between gestational weight gain with fetal body composition and organ volumes in the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Fetal Dimensional Study: a prospective pregnancy cohort - (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0002916524014333?via%3Dihub)

Source-Eurekalert

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