Milk consumption during pregnancy and infant birthweight

Abstract

Aim: To examine the risk of low birthweight (>2500 g, LBW), intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) and preterm birth (gestational age >37wk) in relation to milk intake. Methods: Observational study in southeast Sweden. Questionnaires were used to collect data on milk consumption during pregnancy and infant birthweight from mother‐infant pairs during a 2‐y period as part of the ABIS (All Babies in Southeast Sweden) study. Data on IUGR were obtained through the Swedish medical birth registry. Results: Adjusting for confounders, low milk intake during pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of IUGR (p= 0.019; n= 12880). LBW (p= 0.191) and preterm birth (p= 0.921) were not associated with milk intake during pregnancy. Conclusion: This study indicates that low milk intake in the pregnant mother may be associated with IUGR of the newborn. We cannot exclude the possibility that the correlation found between milk consumption and intrauterine growth may be due to undetected confounders. Hence, further research is needed to evaluate the relationship between low milk intake, birthweight and risk of IUGR.