Excessive Weight Gain In Pregnancy Research Articles

Complicaciones del embarazo en pacientes con ganancia excesiva de peso gestacional en un hospital público peruano

Objective: TTo determine the demographic and clinical characteristics, of pregnant women with excessive gestational weight gain. And determine their relationship with maternal complications. Methods: Analytical, retrospective study. Full-term pregnant women, older than 18 years and with single live fetuses, with legible clinical history and prenatal care card with first and last check-up, treated at a public hospital in Peru between January - June 2022, were included. Patients with mental problems and those with fetuses with malformations, were excluded. The variables measured were: sociodemographic characteristics, obstetric, gestational weight gain, and maternal complications. Excess gestational weight was defined using pre-pregnancy body mass index, difference in weight between the first and last prenatal check-up, and Institute of Medicine guidelines. A descriptive analysis was made and to recognize the relationship between excessive gestational weight and maternal results, the X2 test was used. The National University of San Agustín Institutional Research Ethics Committee granted approval of the study. Results: We included 1021 pregnant women in the study. Of these, 49.0% had excessive gestational weight. 43.0% of overweight patients had maternal complications. A relationship was found between excessive weight gain in pregnancy and gestational diabetes. Conclusions: Patients with excessive weight gain in pregnancy were more likely to have gestational diabetes. Keywords: Body mass index, Gestational weight gain, Pregnancy complications, Gestational diabetes, Peru.

Navigating the impacts of excessive weight gain in pregnancy on obstetric outcomes: An in-depth evaluation

Navigating the impacts of excessive weight gain in pregnancy on obstetric outcomes: An in-depth evaluation

Impact of Pregnancy on Papilledema and Vision Loss in Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension Patients: A Chart Review and Case Series of 13 Patients.

Studies suggest that weight gain is a prominent risk factor for recurrence of papilledema in idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH). Given this information, the significant weight gain that occurs during pregnancy, and the fact that pharmacologic therapy is many times discontinued, raises concerns for worsening edema and vision loss. To examine the impact of pregnancy weight gain on IIH, a retrospective chart review of patients with IIH and pregnancy was performed. Compared with previous studies, we 1) quantified findings with optical coherence tomography (OCT) and Humphrey visual field (HVF) data, 2) Included baseline data before pregnancy, 3) determined excess pregnancy weight gain using body mass index-adjusted weight gain goals, and 4) correlated worsening in IIH symptoms with changes in papilledema. Charts were reviewed for patients with diagnoses of IIH who had at least 2 visits with neuro-ophthalmology during pregnancy. Thirteen patients met inclusion criteria. Data were compared from baseline visits before pregnancy, pregnancy visits, and postpregnancy visits. Comparisons of HVF mean deviation (MD), OCT retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), and Max OCT RNFL during pregnancy were not significant compared with baseline ( P = 0.51, 0.41, and 0.25). Three patients were found to have increased papilledema during pregnancy (Max Avg OCT RNFL of 152.5, 129, and 123.5 μm) of which 2 developed new reproducible mild visual field defects (HVF ∆MD -1.78 and -4.49). All patients showed more than the 6% weight gain, typically observed in recurrent IIH. Eleven patients gained more than their weight from initial diagnosis. Eight patients had excess pregnancy weight gain. Six patients discontinued pharmacologic therapy for IIH. Weight gain seems to carry a lower risk in IIH patients when associated with pregnancy. This is suggested by the high rate of stable or even decreased disc edema in patients despite medication discontinuation and excess pregnancy weight gain. We postulate these findings may be related to changes in weight distribution or endocrine changes during pregnancy.

Study protocol: The cross-sectional Uppsala weight gain in pregnancy study (VIGA study).

More than two in five Swedish women are overweight or obese when becoming pregnant. Maternal overweight or obesity and excessive pregnancy weight gain are associated with several adverse pregnancy outcomes. The underlying mechanisms that link maternal adiposity, diet, exercise, pregnancy weight gain with pregnancy outcome are incompletely understood. We describe the design for a cross-sectional study of pregnant women at Uppsala University Hospital, Sweden. All participants delivered by elective cesarean section before the onset of labor. At inclusion, participants answered two questionnaires concerning their dietary and exercise habits. Fasting maternal blood samples (buffy coat, plasma, serum) were collected. During the cesarean section, biopsies of maternal subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissues were obtained. Placental tissue was collected after delivery. All biological samples were processed as soon as possible, frozen on dry ice, and stored at -70 °C. Pregnancy outcomes and supplementary maternal characteristics were collected from medical records. In total, 143 women were included in the study. Of these women, 33.6% were primiparous, 46.2% had a pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) over 25 kg/m2, and 11.2% of the offspring were born large for gestational age (LGA). Complete collection, that is both questionnaires and all types of biological samples, was obtained from 81.1% of the participants. This study is expected to provide a resource for exploration of the associations between maternal weight, diet, exercise, pregnancy weight gain, and pregnancy outcome. Results from this study will be published in peer-reviewed, international scientific journals. This study was approved by the Regional Ethics Review Board in Uppsala (approval no 2014/353) and with an amendment by the Swedish Ethical Review Authority (approval no 2020-05844).

Knowledge, beliefs and experience of adopting healthy habits in pregnancy: a mixed methods study

Abstract Background Early life exposures affect a child's obesity risk. The EARLY START uses participatory action research to develop an intervention for reducing early life obesogenic exposures. The initial phase uses a mixed methods approach to investigate pregnant mothers’ knowledge, beliefs, and experience of adopting healthy dietary and physical activity (PA) habits. Methods Cypriot pregnant women in 2021 completed a web-based questionnaire on: a) Adherence to Mediterranean diet (MD) (MEDAS tool); b) knowledge, beliefs on diet and PA. A subgroup participated in a structured focus group discussion of their experience/needs in adopting healthy habits. Data were analyzed using Descriptive and Thematic Content methods. Results Ninety-seven women participated, 73% <35 y.o., 49% primigravida, 92% with tertiary education. Adherence to MD was moderate (median 6/14, IQR 2.5), 90% were eating <3 portions of fruit/vegetables daily, 50% believed their diet was healthy and did not change habits in pregnancy. Most had access to information (94%), internet was the commonest source (74%), and the doctor the most trusted (47%). Mild and moderate-intensity PA were considered appropriate by many (60%) for the first and second half of pregnancy, respectively. Most (90%) were aware of the risks of excessive weight gain in pregnancy. Qualitative analysis showed that women value diet as “the main driver to holistically achieving a healthy pregnancy”. The main barrier was the “struggle between the will and ability”. PA was considered a “therapy” but the challenge was “to achieve the right balance”. Internet was described as “accessible but unreliable information source”. Women believed that needs can be met by “early, holistic recommendation-based interventions run by professionals”. Conclusions A huge gap exists between knowledge, beliefs, and practice of healthy behaviours in pregnancy. New interventions should meet gaps and needs using contextualized, timely, holistic, and reliable approaches. Key messages

Predictors of Human Milk Fatty Acids and Associations with Infant Growth in a Norwegian Birth Cohort.

Triglyceride-bound fatty acids constitute the majority of lipids in human milk and may affect infant growth. We describe the composition of fatty acids in human milk, identify predictors, and investigate associations between fatty acids and infant growth using data from the Norwegian Human Milk Study birth cohort. In a subset of participants (n = 789, 30% of cohort), oversampled for overweight and obesity, we analyzed milk concentrations of detectable fatty acids. We modelled percent composition of fatty acids in relation to maternal body mass index, pregnancy weight gain, parity, smoking, delivery mode, gestational age, fish intake, and cod liver oil intake. We assessed the relation between fatty acids and infant growth from 0 to 6 months. Of the factors tested, excess pregnancy weight gain was positively associated with monounsaturated fatty acids and inversely associated with stearic acid. Multiparity was negatively associated with monounsaturated fatty acids and n-3 fatty acids while positively associated with stearic acid. Gestational age was inversely associated with myristic acid. Medium-chain saturated fatty acids were inversely associated with infant growth, and mono-unsaturated fatty acids, particularly oleic acid, were associated with an increased odds of rapid growth. Notably, excessive maternal weight gain was associated with cis-vaccenic acid, which was further associated with a threefold increased risk of rapid infant growth (OR = 2.9, 95% CI 1.2–6.6), suggesting that monounsaturated fatty acids in milk may play a role in the intergenerational transmission of obesity.

Predicting the earliest deviation in weight gain in the course towards manifest overweight in offspring exposed to obesity in pregnancy: a longitudinal cohort study

BackgroundObesity in pregnancy and related early-life factors place the offspring at the highest risk of being overweight. Despite convincing evidence on these associations, there is an unmet public health need to identify “high-risk” offspring by predicting very early deviations in weight gain patterns as a subclinical stage towards overweight. However, data and methods for individual risk prediction are lacking. We aimed to identify those infants exposed to obesity in pregnancy at ages 3 months, 1 year, and 2 years who likely will follow a higher-than-normal body mass index (BMI) growth trajectory towards manifest overweight by developing an early-risk quantification system.MethodsThis study uses data from the prospective mother-child cohort study Programming of Enhanced Adiposity Risk in CHildhood–Early Screening (PEACHES) comprising 1671 mothers with pre-conception obesity and without (controls) and their offspring. Exposures were pre- and postnatal risks documented in patient-held maternal and child health records. The main outcome was a “higher-than-normal BMI growth pattern” preceding overweight, defined as BMI z-score >1 SD (i.e., World Health Organization [WHO] cut-off “at risk of overweight”) at least twice during consecutive offspring growth periods between age 6 months and 5 years. The independent cohort PErinatal Prevention of Obesity (PEPO) comprising 11,730 mother-child pairs recruited close to school entry (around age 6 years) was available for data validation. Cluster analysis and sequential prediction modelling were performed.ResultsData of 1557 PEACHES mother-child pairs and the validation cohort were analyzed comprising more than 50,000 offspring BMI measurements. More than 1-in-5 offspring exposed to obesity in pregnancy belonged to an upper BMI z-score cluster as a distinct pattern of BMI development (above the cut-off of 1 SD) from the first months of life onwards resulting in preschool overweight/obesity (age 5 years: odds ratio [OR] 16.13; 95% confidence interval [CI] 9.98–26.05). Contributing early-life factors including excessive weight gain (OR 2.08; 95% CI 1.25–3.45) and smoking (OR 1.94; 95% CI 1.27–2.95) in pregnancy were instrumental in predicting a “higher-than-normal BMI growth pattern” at age 3 months and re-evaluating the risk at ages 1 year and 2 years (area under the receiver operating characteristic [AUROC] 0.69–0.79, sensitivity 70.7–76.0%, specificity 64.7–78.1%). External validation of prediction models demonstrated adequate predictive performances.ConclusionsWe devised a novel sequential strategy of individual prediction and re-evaluation of a higher-than-normal weight gain in “high-risk” infants well before developing overweight to guide decision-making. The strategy holds promise to elaborate interventions in an early preventive manner for integration in systems of well-child care.

Overweight, obesity and excessive weight gain in pregnancy as risk factors for adverse pregnancy outcomes: A narrative review.

The global prevalence of overweight and obesity in pregnancy is rising and this represents a significant challenge for the management of pregnancy and delivery. Women who have a pre‐pregnancy body mass index greater than 25 kg m–2 are more likely than those with a body mass index in the ideal range (20–24.99 kg m–2) to have problems conceiving a child and are at greater risk of miscarriage and stillbirth. All pregnancy complications are more likely with overweight, obesity and excessive gestational weight gain, including those that pose a significant threat to the lives of mothers and babies. Labour complications arise more often when pregnancies are complicated by overweight and obesity. Pregnancy is a stage of life when women have greater openness to messages about their lifestyle and health. It is also a time when they come into greater contact with health professionals. Currently management of pregnancy weight gain and the impact of overweight tends to be poor, although a number of research studies have demonstrated that appropriate interventions based around dietary change can be effective in controlling weight gain and reducing the risk of pregnancy complications. The development of individualised and flexible plans for avoiding adverse outcomes of obesity in pregnancy will require investment in training of health professionals and better integration into normal antenatal care.

Excessive gestational weight gain in early pregnancy and insufficient gestational weight gain in middle pregnancy increased risk of gestational diabetes mellitus.

Background:Gestational weight gain (GWG) is associated with the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). However, the effect of weight gain in different trimesters on the risk of GDM is unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of GWG on GDM during different trimesters.Methods:A birth cohort study was conducted from 2017 to 2020 in Shenzhen, China. In total, 51,205 participants were included comprising two models (early pregnancy model and middle pregnancy model). Gestational weight (kg) was measured at each prenatal clinical visit using a standardized weight scale. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the risk of GDM. Interaction analysis and mediation effect analysis were performed in the middle pregnancy model.Results:In the early pregnancy model, the risk of GDM was 0.858 times lower (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.786, 0.937) with insufficient GWG (iGWG) and 1.201 times higher (95% CI: 1.097, 1.316) with excessive GWG after adjustment. In the middle pregnancy model, the risk of GDM associated with iGWG increased 1.595 times (95% CI: 1.418, 1.794) after adjustment; for excessive GWG, no significant difference was found (P = 0.223). Interaction analysis showed no interaction between GWG in early pregnancy (GWG-E) and GWG in middle pregnancy (GWG-M) (F = 1.268; P = 0.280). The mediation effect analysis indicated that GWG-M plays a partial mediating role, with an effect proportion of 14.9%.Conclusions:eGWG-E and iGWG-M are associated with an increased risk of GDM. Strict control of weight gain in early pregnancy is needed, and sufficient nutrition should be provided in middle pregnancy.

Pregnancy conditions and complications associated with the development of varicose veins

BackgroundPregnancy is a known risk factor for developing varicose veins (VV). However, pregnancy is often considered a homogeneous entity and few studies have examined if specific characteristics and complications of pregnancy may influence VV formation. This study sought to identify which pregnancy-specific factors are associated with the development of VV. MethodsAll women who gave birth (live or still) between 1998 and 2020 within a multicenter health care system were identified retrospectively and followed through all hospital encounters (inpatient and outpatient). The primary outcome was VV, defined as any encounter with a primary diagnosis code for VV or a procedure for VV. The study period for each woman was the time from the first to last encounter. Extended Cox regression modeling evaluated the association between VV and pregnancy-related factors as a time-varying covariates while controlling for patient comorbidities. ResultsThere were 156,622 women with a median follow-up of 8.3 years (interquartile range, 2.7-16.6 years) included. During this time, 225,758 deliveries occurred. The 10- and 20-year freedom from VV was 97.0% (95% CI, 96.8%-97.1%) and 92.7% (95% CI, 92.4%-93.0%), respectively, from the estimated start of first pregnancy. Overall, 4028 patients (2.57%) developed VV during the follow-up period and 1594 (1.02%) underwent a procedure for VV. After risk adjustment, increasing parity was significantly associated with VV, with each subsequent pregnancy increasing hazard of developing VV (parity = 1: hazard ratio [HR], 1.78; 95% CI, 1.55-1.99; P < .001; parity ≥6: HR, 4.83; 95% CI, 2.15-1.99-10.9; P < .001), Other significant pregnancy factors included excessive weight gain in pregnancy (HR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.09-1.91; P = .011), post-term pregnancy (HR, 1.12; 95% CI, 1.02-1.21; P = .021), pre-eclampsia (HR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.70-0.90; P < .001), and postpartum transfusion of platelets, plasma, or cryoprecipitate (HR, 2.05; 95% CI, 1.19-3.53; P = .001). ConclusionsIncreasing parity, excessive weight gain in pregnancy, post-term pregnancy, and pre-eclampsia affect the development of VV after pregnancy. Although VV after pregnancy are likely underreported and true incidence is unknown, women should be counseled about the impact of these factors on VV development after pregnancy.

The Effect of Lifestyle Intervention to Prevent Excessive Weight Gain During Pregnancy and Promote Postpartum Weight Loss in Overweight and Obese Women

1.1. Objective: To assess the efficacy of a theory-based lifestyle counselling intervention sessions in overweight and obese women for the prevention of excessive pregnancy weight gain and indorse postpartum weight loss. 1.2. Methods: Participants with singleton pregnancy at a 12th week of gestation, 18–40 years and BMI ≥ 25 ≤ 40 kg/m2 were included. The pregnant women were randomized to intervention and control group. Three face-to-face lifestyle counselling sessions was attended during the pregnancy (at 12-16, 16-20 and 30- 34 weeks) and one after delivery at 6-8 weeks’ postpartum stage by the intervention group participants. While, the control group received routine prenatal care. The guidelines of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) were used for the gestational weight gain assessment. 1.3. Results: We included 25 women in intervention and 24 in control group in this study. There was no statistically significant difference between the demographic features of the two groups. The mean pre-pregnancy weight was 27.8 kg in intervention and 29.4 kg in control group. The intervention group gained an average less total weight gain (12.23 kg) as compared to control group (18.64 kg); P -value 0.002. The IOM weight gain guidelines were met by 52% of the intervention group. In the intervention group, 28% of pregnant women gained more weight than the IOM guidelines, but this ratio was higher (95.8%) in the control group. Additionally, by 6-8 week of postpartum, revealed that intervention group women were significantly more likely to be at or below their early pregnancy weights as compared to control group (72% vs. 29.1%, p=0.003). 1.4. Conclusion: In our study, lifestyle counselling intervention had a statistically significant impact on the prevention of weight gain or postpartum weight loss in overweight or obese pregnant women. The observed effects are needed to be confirmed in further large randomized studies.

Social Assistance Programs and Birth Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Assessment of Nutrition and Health Pathways

BackgroundPoor birth outcomes are an important global public health problem. Social assistance programs that provide cash or in-kind transfers, such as food or vouchers, hold potential to improve birth outcomes but the evidence on their effectiveness has not been reviewed. ObjectivesWe systematically reviewed studies that used experimental or quasi-experimental methods to evaluate the impacts of social assistance programs on outcomes in low- and middle-income countries. MethodsThe Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) system was used to assess the certainty of the evidence for birth weight and neonatal mortality (most common outcomes reported). We summarized the evidence on hypothesized nutrition and health pathways of impact. ResultsWe included 6 evaluations of 4 different cash transfer programs and 1 evaluation of a community-based participatory learning and action program that provided food and cash transfers. The 4 studies that assessed birth weight impacts found significant (P < 0.05) effects ranging from 31 to 578 g. Out of 3 studies that assessed neonatal mortality impacts, 2 found significant effects ranging from 0.6 to 3.1 deaths/1000 live births. The certainty of the evidence for both outcomes was rated as very low due to several methodological limitations. In terms of potential pathways, some studies documented positive effects on maternal diet, antenatal care (ANC) utilization, and delivery in a health facility. ConclusionsBetter-designed evaluations are needed to strengthen the evidence base on these programs. Evaluation studies should elucidate underlying mechanisms of impact by including outcomes related to maternal diet, ANC seeking, use of skilled delivery, and women's empowerment in nutrition and health domains. Studies should also assess potential unintended negative consequences of social assistance, such as reduced birth spacing and excess pregnancy weight gain.

Prevalence of and risk factors for excess weight gain in pregnancy: a cross-sectional study using survey data.

Background:Maternal weight gain during pregnancy is required for fetal development; however, excess gestational weight gain is associated with increased maternal and neonatal morbidity. We aimed to determine the proportion of Canadian women who gained excess weight during pregnancy and to identify risk factors for excess gestational weight gain.Methods:Self-reported data on maternal weight gain were collected from the 2015/16 and 2017/18 cycles of the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS), a cross-sectional population-based survey. We included females aged 15 to 54 years with data on height, prepregnancy weight and gestational weight gain. We defined excess gestational weight gain in terms of preconception body mass index (BMI) according to the 2009 guideline of the US Institute of Medicine. We used logistic regression to evaluate potential risk factors for excess gestational weight gain.Results:Of 1 335 615 Canadian women (weighted from approximately 9300 survey respondents), 422 043 (32%) gained excess weight during pregnancy. Women with obesity had 33% lower odds of gaining excess weight relative to women with overweight (odds ratio 0.67, 95% confidence interval 0.48–0.94). Risk factors for excess gestational weight gain were lower education level, white or Indigenous identity, smoking, mood disorder, anxiety disorder and Canadian citizenship.Interpretation:One-third of Canadian women in this survey had excess gestational weight gain during pregnancy, and women with obesity had lower odds of gaining excess weight during pregnancy relative to women with overweight. Strategies are needed to reduce the proportion of Canadian women who gain excess weight during pregnancy, regardless of preconception BMI.

1311Postpartum weight retention and pregnancy weight gain in women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM)

Abstract Background Since GDM is important risk factor for type 2 diabetes and maternal obesity can potentiate this outcome, the study sought to describe gestational weight gain and one-year postpartum weight retention (PPWR) in women with GDM. Methods Multicentre cohort study of 598 women with GDM enrolled in prenatal clinics of the Brazilian National Health System and followed by telephone up to 1-year postpartum. Socioeconomic and nutritional data were evaluated in recruitment. Gestational weight gain (GWG) and pre-pregnancy BMI were classified according to Institute of Medicine, 2009. PPWR was the difference between weights 1-year postpartum and pre-pregnancy. Chi-square test compared proportions of PPWR, pre-gestational BMI and GWG. Results Women had mean age 31.2 ± 6.1 years. Mean pre-pregnancy BMI was 30.3 ± 6.5 kg/m², GWG was 9.6 ± 7.3 kg and PPWR was 0.8 ± 6.8. Pre-pregnancy BMI over 25 kg/m² was found in 78%, excessive GWG in 37.6% and PPWR 1-year in 47.7%. PPWR ≥ 5kg was found in 27.6% and was higher in excessive GWG (p &amp;lt; 0.001). Women with excessive GWG, 55.2% had PPWR ≥ 5kg. For all categories of pre-pregnancy BMI, there was higher proportion of PPWR ≥ 5kg in those who had excessive GWG. Conclusions Almost half of women who had GDM presented weight retention in 1-year postpartum. We found more PPWR in who had excessive pregnancy weight gain. Key messages PPWR is common in women with GDM and there is higher proportion of PPWR ≥ 5kg in women with excessive GWG in all pre-pregnancy BMI categories.

The Possibility of Using Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis in Pregnant and Postpartum Women.

Pregnancy is a time of significant changes occurring in the composition of a woman’s body in order to provide support for the growth and development of the foetus. Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) is used to assess the body composition and hydration status. This technique represents a non-invasive, reliable, and fast clinical approach, which is well tolerated by patients. A segmental impedance measurement might be advantageous in pregnant women, particularly in late pregnancy. The purpose of this paper is to provide a review of different applications of BIA in pregnant and postpartum women. It seems that BIA has a better prognostic potential for gestational and post-partum outcomes than body mass index. The BIA method can be successfully used to study the effect of excessive gestational weight gain in pregnancy on the development of obstetric complications. Studying the mother’s body composition and correlating it with her energy balance could facilitate the development of dietary recommendations for women. Evaluation of the body composition can provide important clues for diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus in pregnant women with a low risk of this disease. BIA is also used as one of the additional tests in assessing the risk of developing gestational hypertension and preeclampsia.

Phase Angle and Bio-Impedance Values during the First Year after Delivery in Women with Previous Excessive Gestational Weight Gain: Innovative Data from the Belgian INTER-ACT Study.

Phase angle (PhA) is a body composition parameter that measures changes in the amount and quality of soft tissue. Few studies have explored PhA in pregnancy or postpartum. The aim of this study was to explore the PhA during the first year postpartum in a Belgian cohort using data from the control group of the INTER-ACT study, an intervention trial targeting those with excess gestational weight gain. A secondary aim was to examine associations between PhA and potential explanatory variables. Women aged ≥18 with excessive weight gain in a singleton pregnancy and without a chronic disease were eligible. Data collection included anthropometry as well as demographic and lifestyle questionnaires at 6 weeks, 6 months and 12 months postpartum. Body composition, including PhA, was measured with the Tanita MC780SMA device. Data was analysed using correlation and mixed model analyses. A total of 509 participants (median age 31.2) were included. The median PhA at 6 weeks postpartum was 5.8°. Higher PhA values were seen in multiparous women (p = 0.02) but there was no association with any other lifestyle or demographic factors. PhA values were positively associated with muscle mass and BMI (r = 0.13, p = 0.004 and r = 0.18, p < 0.001) at 6 weeks postpartum. PhA increased slightly in the 12 months postpartum, which was related to a decrease in fat percentage (p = 0.004). Further research in the pregnant/postpartum population is needed to elucidate any links with perinatal or future health outcomes.

SERUM GLP-2 is Increased in Association with Excess Gestational Weight Gain.

Obesity in pregnancy bears unique maternal and fetal risks. Obesity has also been associated with chronic inflammation, including elevated serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). Higher serum lipopolysaccharide (LPS) levels have been implicated in driving this inflammation, a phenomenon called metabolic endotoxemia (ME). GLP-2, a proglucagon-derived peptide, is believed to be integral in maintaining the integrity of the intestine in the face of LPS-mediated endotoxemia. We hypothesized that obesity and/or excess weight gain in pregnancy would be associated with an increase in maternal and neonatal markers of ME, as well as GLP-2. Paired maternal and neonatal (cord blood) serum samples (n = 159) were obtained from our pregnancy biobank repository. Serum levels of LPS, endotoxin core antibody-immunoglobulin M (EndoCAb-IgM), and GLP-2 were measured by ELISA. IL-6 and TNF-α were measured using a Milliplex assay. Results were stratified by maternal body mass index (BMI), maternal diabetes, and gestational weight gain (GWG). Maternal IL-6 is significantly decreased in the obese, diabetic cohort compared with the nonobese, nondiabetic cohorts (95.28 vs. 99.48 pg/mL, p = 0.047), whereas GLP-2 is significantly increased (1.92 vs. 2.89 ng/mL, p = 0.026). Neonatal TNF-α is significantly decreased in the obese cohort compared with the nonobese cohort (12.43 vs. 13.93 pg/mL, p = 0.044). Maternal GLP-2 is significantly increased in women with excess GWG compared with those with normal GWG (2.27 vs. 1.48 ng/mL, p = 0.014). We further found that neonatal IL-6 and TNF-α are negatively correlated with maternal BMI (-0.186, p = 0.036 and -0.179, p = 0.044, respectively) and that maternal and neonatal IL-6 showed a positive correlation (0.348, p < 0.001). Although we observed altered levels of markers of inflammation (IL-6 and TNF-α) with maternal obesity and diabetes, no changes in LPS or endoCAb-IgM were observed. We hypothesize that the increased GLP-2 levels in maternal serum in association with excess GWG may protect against ME in pregnancy. · Maternal serum levels of GLP-2, a proglucagon-derived peptide, are increased in obese, diabetic gravidae.. · Maternal serum GLP-2 levels are also increased in association with excess gestational weight gain compared with normal gestational weight gain.. · GLP-2 may be increased in association with obesity and weight gain to protect against metabolic endotoxemia in pregnancy..

Bilateral Sacral Stress Fracture in Pregnancy without Osteoporosis - A Case Report and Literature Review

Purpose: Sacral stress fractures are rare complications which can arise during pregnancy or in the early postpartum period. We report a case and discuss the findings of a confirmed postpartum sacral stress fracture in a 39-year-old multiparous woman and review previous case reports in the literature of sacral stress fracture related to pregnancy. Methods: A review of the literature was conducted to examine the main characteristics of sacral stress fractures related to pregnancy. The Ovid/Medline, Embase and Google Scholar databases were searched with the inclusion criteria: human studies, English language, intrapartum, postpartum (within 6 months of parturition), sacrum and stress fracture. Our exclusion criteria included pubic fractures, vertebral fractures and non-English articles. The search terms included “stress fracture”, “postpartum”, “pregnancy”, “atraumatic” and the wildcard “sacr*”. 34 cases were found and summarised in Table 2. Results: 65% of patients had onset of symptoms postpartum. Most patients did not have risk factors for sacral stress fractures including macrosomia, excessive pregnancy weight gain, heparin exposure, rapid vaginal delivery or predisposition to accelerated osteoporosis. Lumbar radiculopathy can be a feature of sacral stress fracture and it is more common (17.6%) than reported in the literature (2%). MRI is the preferred imaging modality for its safety profile in pregnancy and high sensitivity. 70% of reported normal bone mineral density (BMD). The mainstay treatment for sacral stress fractures includes relative bedrest, analgesia and modified weight bearing exercises. Most patients have favourable outcome with complete symptom resolution. Conclusion: Sacral stress fractures in the absence of osteoporosis are rare complications of pregnancy that can present with lumbar radiculopathy. Conservative management often produces good clinical outcomes.

Excess pregnancy weight gain in latinas: Impact on infant's adiposity and growth hormones at birth.

Excess maternal weight gain during pregnancy has been associated with childhood overweight and obesity both in mothers with and without obesity. Latinx children are at higher risk for earlier obesity compared with other population groups. A cohort of 82 self-identified pregnant Latina women were recruited at the prenatal clinics of Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital (ZSFG) prior to delivery during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy in 2011 and 2012. Maternal pre-pregnancy weight and weight prior to delivery were collected by self-report to calculate maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and weight gain in pregnancy. At delivery, anthropometric measurements of infants were obtained and cord blood and maternal finger stick blood samples were collected for hormonal assays. Fifty-three point seven percent of women had excessive weight gain in pregnancy. A high percentage of the cohort was overweight and obese prior to pregnancy (67.1%) with mean pre-pregnancy BMI 27.4±4.5kg/m2 and greater pre-pregnancy weight was independently associated with weight gain during pregnancy (OR 1.05, 95%CI 1.002-1.09). Mean infant birthweight was 3377.2±481.5g and excessive weight gain in pregnancy was independently associated with birthweight percentile (OR 13.46, 95%CI 2.43-34.50). Excessive gestational gain was positively associated with cord blood insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and negatively with Peptide YY (PYY) levels. Latina women with pre-pregnancy overweight and obesity have a high rate of excessive gestational gain in pregnancy and could benefit from early counseling about appropriate gain in pregnancy. Excessive gestational weight impacts the intrauterine environment in high-risk infants impacting fetal growth and development.

Weight gain during pregnancy among women initiating dolutegravir in Botswana

BackgroundRecent data suggests clinically significant weight gain among non-pregnant HIV-positive adults after starting dolutegravir-based ART (DTG). Excess or insufficient weight gain in pregnancy could adversely impact pregnancy outcomes, but data for pregnant women receiving DTG are limited.MethodsThe Tsepamo Study captured data at delivery sites in Botswana from 2014 to 2019. HIV testing, HIV treatment information, and weight measurements during antenatal care were abstracted from the maternity obstetric record at delivery. HIV-positive women initiating DTG or efavirenz-based ART (EFV) between conception and 17 weeks gestation and HIV-uninfected women first presenting for antenatal care before 17 weeks gestation were included. We evaluated weekly weight gain, total 18-week weight gain, excess weight gain (>0.59 kg/week), insufficient weight gain (<0.18 kg/week), and weight loss between 18±2 and 36±2 weeks gestation, adjusting for demographic and clinical variables.FindingsBaseline characteristics were similar by exposure group, including pre-pregnancy and early pregnancy weight. Compared with EFV, mean weekly weight gain between 18 and 36 weeks gestation was 0.05 (95% CI 0.03, 0.07) kg/week higher for women initiating DTG and 0.12 (0.10, 0.14) kg/week higher for HIV-uninfected women. Mean 18-week weight gain was 1.05 (95% CI 0.61, 1.49) kg higher for women initiating DTG and 2.31 (1.85, 2.77) kg higher for HIV-uninfected women, compared with EFV. Women initiating DTG were more likely to gain excess weight but less likely to gain insufficient weight or lose weight than women initiating EFV.InterpretationWomen initiating DTG compared with EFV during pregnancy gained more weight between 18 and 36 weeks gestation. Neither group gained as much weight as HIV-uninfected women. Initiating DTG compared with EFV during pregnancy could increase the risk of excess weight gain but decrease the risk of insufficient weight gain and weight loss, which could have positive and negative consequences in pregnancy. Our findings are consistent with prior studies in non-pregnant adults.