Abstract
Pregnancy leads to several changes in body composition and morphology of women. It is not clear whether the biomechanical changes occurring in this period are due exclusively to body composition and size or to other physiological factors. The purpose was to quantify the morphology and body composition of women throughout pregnancy and in the postpartum period and identify the contribution of these parameters on the lower limb joints kinetic during gait. Eleven women were assessed longitudinally, regarding anthropometric, body composition, and kinetic parameters of gait. Body composition and body dimensions showed a significant increase during pregnancy and a decrease in the postpartum period. In the postpartum period, body composition was similar to the 1st trimester, except for triceps skinfold, total calf area, and body mass index, with higher results than at the beginning of pregnancy. Regression models were developed to predict women's internal loading through anthropometric variables. Four models include variables associated with the amount of fat; four models include variables related to overall body weight; three models include fat-free mass; one model includes the shape of the trunk as a predictor variable. Changes in maternal body composition and morphology largely determine kinetic dynamics of the joints in pregnant women.
Highlights
During pregnancy and in the postpartum period, the woman’s body experiences large changes in morphology, physiology, and, body composition
The biacromial breadth was significantly different between the 1st and the 3rd trimester and from the 1st trimester and postpartum period, the biiliocristal breadth was only significantly different from the 1st trimester and the 3rd trimester
Most of these variables did not differ between the 1st trimester and postpartum period, with an exception for body weight loss, which is significantly lower after delivery than in the 1st trimester (p = 0.012)
Summary
During pregnancy and in the postpartum period, the woman’s body experiences large changes in morphology, physiology, and, body composition. The association between body composition, the increase in maternal weight, and health related problems is known for mother and child well-being [1, 2]. Weight gain during pregnancy has been widely studied and is reported in several studies as described below. During pregnancy the weight gain stands at around 11 kg [5,6,7] it has been increasing in recent years from 9 kg [8] to 14.5 kg [9] in nonobese women, with much of these gains occurring during the 2nd trimester. The woman’s weight remains above her prepregnancy body weight [5] or in early pregnancy [6]
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