Gestational Weight Gain Research Articles

Perinatal intervention strategies providing food with micronutrients to pregnant and breastfeeding women in low‐ and middle‐income countries: A scoping review

AbstractIn resource‐constrained settings, pregnant and breastfeeding women and girls (PBW/G) are particularly vulnerable to undernutrition. Micronutrient‐fortified balanced energy protein (BEP) supplementation may be provided to boost maternal nutritional status and improve birth and infant outcomes. We conducted a scoping review of the published literature to determine the impact of BEP and other related nutrition interventions that provided fortified food or cash along with a minimum of 3 micronutrients on maternal, birth, and infant/child outcomes in low‐ and middle‐income countries. We conducted a PubMed search using pre‐defined keywords and controlled vocabulary search terms. All titles and abstracts were reviewed for eligibility by two independent reviewers, and data were extracted according to outcome type. We identified 149 eligible research articles that reported on a total of 21 trials and/or programme evaluations which assessed the health impact of one or more products (fortified lipid‐based nutrient supplement [LNS, n = 12], fortified blended flours [n = 5], milk‐based beverages [n = 2], and local food/snacks [n = 3]) that provided 118–750 kcal/day and varying levels of protein and micronutrients. Only one of these programme evaluations assessed the impact of the provision of cash and fortified food. Effects on maternal outcomes such as gestational weight gain and duration of gestation were promising but inconsistent. Birth outcomes were reported in 15 studies, and the effects on birthweight and birth length were generally positive. Seven studies demonstrated sustained benefits on infant and child growth out of the 15 studies that reported at least one of these outcomes, although data were sparse. Additional research is needed to investigate issues of dose, cost‐effectiveness, and incorporation into multi‐component interventions.

The Pillars of Lifestyle Medicine As the Foundation for Intervention Protocols Aimed at Mitigating Gestational Weight Gain

The Pillars of Lifestyle Medicine As the Foundation for Intervention Protocols Aimed at Mitigating Gestational Weight Gain

Gestational weight gain and its determinants among pregnant women in Gurage zone, Central Ethiopia: a cohort study

BackgroundThe nutritional status of the mothers before pregnancy and the weights gained during pregnancy are very crucial factors affecting the pregnancy outcomes and health of the infants. This study aimed to assess early pregnancy weight, determine the magnitude of gestational weight gain, and investigate the factors affecting gestational weight gain among pregnant women in the Gurage zone, 2022.MethodsA prospective cohort study was conducted among pregnant women who started antenatal care follow-up before the 16th week of gestation in the selected hospitals and health centers of the Gurage zone, Ethiopia. The gestational weight gain was obtained by subtracting the early pregnancy weight from the last pregnancy weight and categorizing based on the Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommendation.ResultsThe early pregnancy weight status of the women at enrollment indicates that 10% of them were underweight and 83% of them had normal weight. On average, the study participants gained 13.3 kgs of weight with [95% CI: 13.0, 13.6]. More than half (56%) of them gained adequate weight, a quarter (26%) of them gained inadequate weight, and 18% of them gained excess weight during pregnancy compared to the IOM recommendation. Maternal age, occupational status, and early pregnancy weight status were found to have a statistically significant association with the gestational weight gained.ConclusionAlmost half (44%) of the pregnant women gained either inadequate or excess weight during pregnancy. Promoting gestational weight gain within recommended guidelines should be emphasized for younger, employed women and those who are either underweight or overweight.

Digital therapeutics-based lifestyle intervention for gestational diabetes mellitus prevention of high-risk pregnant women: a study protocol for a non-randomised controlled trial

IntroductionDigital therapeutics have been approved as a treatment aid for various medical conditions and are increasingly prevalent. Despite numerous studies on the potential of digital therapeutic interventions in preventing gestational...

Differing intensities of a midwife-led antenatal healthy lifestyle service on maternal and neonatal outcomes: A retrospective cohort study

IntroductionMaternal obesity and excessive gestational weight gain are associated with adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. There is uncertainty over the most effective antenatal healthy lifestyle service, with little research determining the impact of different lifestyle intervention intensities on pregnancy outcomes. MethodThis retrospective cohort study compared pregnancy and birth outcomes in women with a body mass index of 40 or above who were offered a low intensity midwife-led antenatal healthy lifestyle service (one visit) with women who were offered an enhanced service (three visits). The primary outcome was gestational weight gain. ResultsThere were no differences between the two healthy lifestyle service intensities (N = 682) in the primary outcome of mean gestational weight gain [adjusted mean difference (aMD) -1.1 kg (95 % CI -2.3 to 0.1)]. Women offered the enhanced service had lower odds of gaining weight in excess of Institute of Medicine recommendations [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 0.63 (95 % CI 0.40–0.98)] with this reduction mainly evident in multiparous women. Multiparous women also gained less weight per week [aMD -0.06 kg/week (95 % CI -0.11 to -0.01)]. No overall beneficial effects were seen in maternal or neonatal outcomes measured such as birth weight [aMD 25 g (95 % CI -71 to 121)], vaginal birth [aOR 0.87 (95 % CI 0.64–1.19)] or gestational diabetes mellitus [aOR 1.42 (95 % CI 0.93–2.17)]. However, multiparous women receiving the enhanced service had reduced odds of small for gestational age [aOR 0.52 (95 % CI 0.31–0.87)]. This study was however underpowered to detect differences in some outcomes with low incidences. DiscussionUncertainty remains over the best management of women with severe obesity regarding effective interventions in terms of intensity. It is suggested that further research needs to consider the different classes of obesity separately and have a particular focus on the needs of nulliparous women given the lack of effectiveness of this service among these women.

Gestational weight gain below recommendations and adverse maternal and child health outcomes for pregnancies with overweight or obesity: a United States cohort study

BackgroundThe current Institute of Medicine (IOM) pregnancy weight gain guidelines were developed using the best available evidence but were limited by substantial knowledge gaps. Some have raised concern that the guidelines for individuals affected by overweight or obesity are too high and contribute to short- and long-term complications for the mother and child. ObjectivesTo determine the association between pregnancy weight gain below the lower limit of the current IOM recommendations and risk of 10 adverse maternal and child health outcomes among individuals with overweight and obesity. MethodsWe used data from a prospective cohort study of United States nulliparae with prepregnancy overweight (n = 955) or obesity (n = 897) followed from the first trimester to 2–7 y postpartum. We used multivariable Poisson regression to relate pregnancy weight gain z-scores with a severity-weighted composite outcome consisting of ≥1 of 10 adverse outcomes (gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, unplanned cesarean delivery, maternal postpartum weight increase >10 kg, maternal postpartum metabolic syndrome, infant death, stillbirth, preterm birth, small-for-gestational age birth, and childhood obesity). ResultsPregnancy weight gain z-scores below, within, and above the IOM-recommended ranges occurred in 5%, 13%, and 80% of pregnancies with overweight and 17%, 13%, and 70% of pregnancies with obesity. There was a positive association between pregnancy weight gain z-scores and all adverse maternal outcomes, childhood obesity, and the composite outcome. Pregnancy weight gain z-scores below the lower limit of the recommended ranges (<6.8 kg for overweight, <5 kg for obesity) were not associated with the severity-weighted composite outcome. For example, compared with the lower limit, adjusted rate ratios (95% confidence interval) for z-scores of −2 standard deviations in pregnancies with overweight (equivalent to 3.6 kg at 40 wk) and obesity (−2.8 kg at 40 wk) were 0.99 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.91, 1.06) and 0.97 (95% CI: 0.87, 1.07). ConclusionsThese findings support arguments to decrease the lower limit of recommended weight gain ranges in these prepregnancy body mass index groups.

Early Life Surgency, but not Effortful Control or Negative Affectivity, Is a Mediating Variable Between Maternal Pre-Pregnancy Body Mass Index and Childhood Obesity Risk.

Maternal gestational obesity is related to risk of obesity in the child. This risk may be in part mediated by altered child temperament, which can affect mother-child interactions, including feeding and soothing behaviors that affect obesity risk. Our objective was to examine the association between maternal pre-pregnancy BMI and child zBMI and determine if child temperament, specifically positive Affectivity/Surgency, mediates this association. Using conditional process modeling, we analyzed data from 408 mother-child dyads enrolled in the Alberta Pregnancy Outcomes and Nutrition (APrON) study. Child temperament was assessed at 3 years of age via a parent report measure, the Child Behavior Questionnaire (CBQ), and child zBMI was calculated from in-person measurements of child height and weight at 4-5 years of age. Bivariate correlations showed that there was a significant positive correlation between zBMI and Surgency (r=0.11, p=0.03), and zBMI was also correlated with maternal pre-pregnancy BMI (r=0.12, p=0.02). Multivariable regression revealed that maternal pre-pregnancy BMI (adjusted β=0.15, 95% confidence interval [CI]; 0.00-0.05, p=0.02) and Surgency scores (adjusted β=0.14, 95% CI; 0.02-0.28, p=0.03) were associated with higher child zBMI at 4-5 years of age. Mediation analysis showed that Surgency mediated the association between pre-pregnancy BMI and child zBMI. Our models controlled for maternal gestational weight gain, gestational diabetes, socioeconomic status, maternal anxiety and depression, and gestational age at birth. Overall, maternal pre-pregnancy BMI was positively associated with child zBMI, and this association was mediated by higher child Surgency scores.

Gestational Weight Gain and Neonatal Biometry during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Multicenter Observational Cohort.

This study aimed to test the hypothesis that being pregnant and delivering during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic was associated with changes in gestational weight gain (GWG) or frequency of small- (SGA) or large-for-gestational-age (LGA) neonates. Secondary analysis of a multicenter observational cohort comparing pregnant people who delivered during the COVID-19 pandemic (June-December 2020) to people who delivered prior to the pandemic (March-December 2019). Those with multiple gestations, fetuses with major congenital anomalies, implausible GWG values, unavailable body mass index (BMI), or who were severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2-positive were excluded. The primary outcome was frequency of optimal recommended GWG based on prepregnancy BMI. Neonatal outcomes included birth weight, ponderal index, and frequency of SGA, LGA, and small head circumference for live births. Multivariable regression analysis was used to assess associations between exposure to the pandemic and outcomes. A total of 10,717 pregnant people were included in our analysis. A total of 4,225 pregnant people were exposed to the pandemic and 6,492 pregnant people delivered prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Pregnant people exposed to the pandemic were older and more likely to have gestational diabetes. The frequency of appropriate GWG was 28.0% during the pandemic and 27.6% before the pandemic (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.02, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.93-1.11). Excessive GWG was more likely (54.9 vs. 53.1%; aOR: 1.08, 95% CI: 1.001-1.17), and inadequate GWG was less likely during the pandemic (17.0 vs. 19.3%; aOR: 0.86, 95% CI: 0.77-0.95). The frequency of SGA was 5.4% during the pandemic and 6.1% before the pandemic (aOR: 0.90, 95% CI: 0.76-1.06), and the frequency of LGA was 16.0% during the pandemic versus 15.0% before the pandemic (aOR: 1.06, 95% CI: 0.95-1.18). Other neonatal outcomes including birth weight percentile (62.1 [35.8-83.2] vs. 60.2 [34.4-82.2]; adjusted mean difference (aMD) = 1.50, 95% CI: -0.28 to 3.29), ponderal index (2.6 g/cm3 [2.4-2.8] in both groups; aMD = 0.01, 95% CI: 0.00-0.02), and small head circumference for livebirths (<10th percentile [8.2 vs. 8.1%; aOR: 1.03, 95% CI: 0.89-1.19], <3rd percentile [3.5 vs. 3.1%; aOR: 1.16, 95% CI: 0.93-1.44]) were similar between groups as well. Being pregnant and delivering during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a higher likelihood of excessive GWG and a lower likelihood of inadequate GWG. · Delivering during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with higher likelihood of excessive GWG.. · Delivering during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with lower likelihood of inadequate GWG.. · COVID-19 pandemic was not associated with changes in frequency of SGA or LGA..

Effect of perinatal consumption of low-calorie sweetener on maternal health: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background and AimsEvidence regarding perinatal low-calorie (or artificial) sweetener (LCS) consumption and its effect on maternal health outcomes is limited and inconclusive. The primary outcomes of our systematic review and meta-analysis were the effect of preconception and pregnancy LCS exposure on reproductive and pregnancy outcomes. Secondary outcomes included long-term maternal health . MethodsA systematic search of electronic databases, including PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, the Cochrane Library, Scopus, Web of Science, PsycINFO, ProQuest Health and Medical, ClinicalTrials.gov and Google Scholar, was conducted up to 20 November 2023. Primary studies, including interventional studies, cohort studies, case-control studies, which reported any LCS consumption during perinatal period and pregnancy and maternal health outcomes were eligible. A random effects model with restricted maximum likelihood estimation was used for the meta-analysis. We appraised the quality of the included studies using the National Institute of Health study quality appraisal tool and the overall quality of evidence using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation tool. ResultsA total of 19 eligible studies with 203,706 participants were included. LCS consumption during pregnancy was associated with 11% increased risk of preterm birth (RR = 1.11, 95% CI: 1.07-1.16, I2 = 0.01%) and 42% increased risk of gestational diabetes (RR = 1.42, 95% CI: 0.98-2.04, I2 = 67.60%) compared with no consumption, however, the effect size for gestational diabetes was not precise as the 95% CI indicated that the effect estimate could range from 2% lower risk to 204% (or 2.04 times) higher risk. We found no association between LCS consumption during pregnancy and gestational weight gain (standardized mean difference (SMD) = 0.04; 95% CI: -0.17 - 0.24, I2 = 41.31%) or gestational age at birth (SMD = 0.00; 95% CI: -0.13 – 0.14, I2 = 80.13%). The effect of LCS consumption on reproductive treatment outcomes were inconsistent. ConclusionsBased on the evidence available, LCS consumption in pregnancy was associated with increased risk of preterm birth and gestational diabetes. Robust research, such as well-designed randomized trials and large prospective cohort studies, is required to confirm the causal effect of LCS consumption during perinatal period on adverse maternal health outcomes.

Access to nutrition advice and knowledge, attitudes and practices of pregnant women in Ireland: A cross-sectional study.

Healthy nutritional status, appropriate gestational weight gain and a balanced diet are important predictors of perinatal health outcomes. However, gaps exist in the translation of nutrition recommendations into dietary practices of women before and during pregnancy. The present study explored the relationship between access to nutrition advice, nutrition knowledge, attitudes and practices among pregnant women. Pregnant women aged > 18 years in Ireland were eligible to complete a self-administered survey consisting of four subsections (demographics, nutrition knowledge, attitudes and practices) delivered online through Qualtrics. In this convenience sample (n = 334,median [interquartile range] gestation, 25.0 [16.0, 34.0] weeks), 85% had at least an honours bachelor degree and 88.9% planned their pregnancy. Two out of five women received nutrition advice during their pregnancy, mostly from a midwife. Based on the percentage of correct answers (of 15 questions), women with previous nutrition education (e.g., school home economics) had better median [interquartile range] nutrition knowledge than those with none (80.0% [66.7, 86.7%] vs. 73.3% [60.0, 80.0%], p < 0.001). Those who received nutrition advice during pregnancy did not score higher than those who did not (73.3% [66.7, 80.0%] vs. 73.3% [66.7, 80.0%], p = 0.6). Over three-quarters of participants considered nutritional supplement use to be very or extremely important. Although 73.6% and 92.4% took supplements prior to and during pregnancy, only 25.7% reported compliance with periconceptional folic acid supplementation guidelines. Half of respondents considered healthy eating during pregnancy as very or extremely important. Access to nutrition advice during pregnancy was inadequate with poor nutrition knowledge, attitudes and practices observed. Accessible, evidence-based nutrition education for women prior to and during pregnancy is required.

1214-P: Prepregnancy Use of Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Receptor Agonists and Gestational Weight Gain in Type 2 Diabetes

1214-P: Prepregnancy Use of Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Receptor Agonists and Gestational Weight Gain in Type 2 Diabetes

1240-P: Effects of Maternal Body Mass Index and Gestational Weight Gain upon Pregnancy Outcomes in Women with Type 1 Diabetes—A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

1240-P: Effects of Maternal Body Mass Index and Gestational Weight Gain upon Pregnancy Outcomes in Women with Type 1 Diabetes—A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

1244-P: Prospective Cohort Study on the Impact of Restricted Gestational Weight Gain on Fetal Growth in Women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Undergoing Dietary Treatment

1244-P: Prospective Cohort Study on the Impact of Restricted Gestational Weight Gain on Fetal Growth in Women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Undergoing Dietary Treatment

Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet during pregnancy in relation to gestational weight gain: the Mutaba’ah Study

Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet during pregnancy in relation to gestational weight gain: the Mutaba’ah Study

Gestational Metabolic Risk: A Narrative Review of Pregnancy-Related Complications and of the Effectiveness of Dietary, Exercise and Lifestyle Interventions during Pregnancy on Reducing Gestational Weight Gain and Preventing Gestational Diabetes Mellitus.

Objective: This study is a Narrative Review that aims at investigating the implications of obesity, excessive gestational weight gain (GWG) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Additionally, this Review seeks to explore the effectiveness of nutrition, and/or exercise interventions during pregnancy on reducing GWG and preventing GDM. Materials and Methods: The search in literature included studies that identified obesity, GWG, GDM and associated risks during pregnancy. Also, SR and MA focusing on interventions including diet, or physical activity (PA), or combined (i.e., lifestyle interventions) and their impact on metabolic risk during pregnancy, were identified through searches in PubMed, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSRs), and Scopus. Results: The study findings suggest that lifestyle interventions during pregnancy may be effective in reducing excessive GWG. Regarding the prevention of GDM, results from studies evaluating lifestyle interventions vary. However, significant and less controversial results were reported from studies assessing the efficacy of exercise interventions, particularly in high-risk pregnant women. Conclusions: Lifestyle interventions during pregnancy may reduce excessive GWG. Exercise during pregnancy may prevent GDM, especially in high-risk pregnant women. Future research is warranted to tailor lifestyle interventions for optimal effectiveness during pregnancy.

Return to Running for Postpartum Elite and Subelite Athletes.

There is little evidence to guide elite athletes who desire returning to competition after giving birth to a child. Ultimately, this can result in decreased performance and increased risk of injury. This paper addresses aspects that must be considered when building and monitoring a return to running program for a postpartum elite or subelite athlete, including pelvic floor and core stability, progressive reloading of the musculoskeletal system, monitoring of nutritional parameters, and considerations for lactation. PubMed and CINAHL (Cumulative Index for Nursing and Allied Health Literature) were searched with the following search strategy: (extreme sports OR elite athletes OR running OR exercise) AND (breastfeeding OR lactation OR bone density OR fetal weight OR gestational weight gain OR postpartum or post-partum OR postnatal OR post-natal OR pregnancy OR childbirth). The following information is based on best available evidence and clinical experience. Clinical review. Level 4. Due to the interplay between cardiovascular fitness, postpartum nutrition, lactation, and progressive reloading of the muscular and skeletal system, we propose a multimodal, multidisciplinary approach to safely and successfully allow an athlete to return to an elite level of competition. Return to running in the postpartum period is a highly individualized process that benefits from multidisciplinary, individualized care. This includes monitoring of nutrition, core and pelvic floor function, bone reloading, muscle and tendon reloading, and breastfeeding care when applicable. C.

Association between neck circumference and glucose tolerance levels at 2-6 months postpartum in women with and without gestational diabetes.

To evaluate the association between neck circumference (NC) measured during pregnancy and markers of glucose metabolism measured 2-6 months postpartum in women with overweight/obesity with and without gestational diabetes (GDM). This prospective study enrolled 100 pregnant women (including 50 with GDM) with pregestational body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg and < 40 kg/m². The cohort was stratified according to NC tertiles during pregnancy. Glucose metabolism was assessed in the postpartum period. The association between NC during pregnancy and markers of glucose metabolism postpartum was tested using linear regression analysis. Participants with NC in the third tertile, compared with those with NC in the second and first tertiles, had higher levels of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c; 5.6 ± 0.4% versus 5.4 ± 0.3% versus 5.3 ± 0.2%, respectively, p = 0.006), fasting insulin (13.2 ± 6.6 µIU/mL versus 11.1 ± 5.8 µIU/mL versus 9.5 ± 4.9 µIU/mL, respectively, p = 0.035), homeostasis model for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR; 3.1 ± 1.7 versus 2.5 ± 1.3 versus 2.1 ± 1.2, respectively, p = 0.035) and triglyceride-glucose index (TyG; 4.6 ± 0.2 versus 4.5 ± 0.2 versus 4.5 ± 0.3, respectively, p = 0.010). In crude linear regression analysis, NC measured during pregnancy was significantly associated with levels of fasting plasma glucose, 2-hour glucose, HbA1c, log HOMA-IR, and TyG index. The association remained after adjustment for age, family history of diabetes, and number of pregnancies. When adjusted for pregestational BMI and gestational weight gain, NC remained independently associated with fasting plasma glucose and HbA1c levels. The NC measured during pregnancy was positively associated with worse glucose metabolic profile in the postpartum among women with obesity/overweight with and without GDM. The NC measurement may be a feasible tool for early identification of women at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers and gestational weight gain: a multi-center prospective cohort study.

To evaluate the associations of plasma polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) concentrations in early pregnancy with gestational weight gain (GWG). Prospective cohort study. US-based, multicentre cohort of pregnant women. We used data from 2052 women without obesity and 397 women with obesity participating in the NICHD Fetal Growth Studies - Singleton Cohort, with first-trimester plasma PBDE concentrations and weight measurements throughout pregnancy. We applied generalised linear models and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) to evaluate both the individual and joint associations of PBDEs with measures of GWG, adjusting for potential confounders. Total GWG (kg), total and trimester-specific GWG velocities (kg/week), and GWG categories and trajectory groups. Mean pre-pregnancy BMIs were 23.6 and 34.5 kg/m2 for women without and with obesity, respectively. Among women without obesity, there were no associations of PBDEs with any GWG measure. Among women with obesity, one standard deviation increase in log-transformed PBDE 47 was associated with a 1.87 kg higher total GWG (95% CI 0.39-3.35) and a 0.05 kg/week higher total GWG velocity (95% CI 0.01-0.09). Similar associations were found for PBDE 47 in BKMR among women with obesity, and PBDE 47, 99 and 100 were associated with lower odds of being in the low GWG trajectory group. PBDEs were not associated with GWG among individuals without obesity. Among those with obesity, only PBDE 47 showed consistent positive associations with GWG measures across multiple statistical methods. Further research is needed to validate this association and explore potential mechanisms.

Prevalence of hyperuricemia and associated factors among pregnant women in Vietnam: A cross-sectional study

PurposeHyperuricemia is a significant health concern worldwide. It is important to identify pregnant women who may be at risk to enhance pregnancy care. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of hyperuricemia and identify some factors associated with hyperuricemia among Vietnamese pregnant women. MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, 340 pregnant women were enrolled from May 2021 to December 2021. Demographic information, anthropometric data, and food frequency consumption (within 1 month before delivery) were collected from the participants. In addition, the biochemical indices of the participants were collected from medical records. Multivariate logistic regression was deployed to identify associated factors (p < 0.05). ResultsThe prevalence of hyperuricemia was estimated at 20.3 %. Factors associated with hyperuricemia risk among Vietnamese pregnant women include eating red meat (aOR: 2.3), eating animal organs (aOR: 2.5), not meeting vegetable recommendations (aOR: 6.7), hyper-total cholesterol (aOR: 2.4), disease during pregnancy (aOR: 3.5) and gestational weight gain below recommendations (aOR: 0.2). ConclusionsThe prevalence of hyperuricemia among pregnant women was relatively high at the National Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hanoi, Vietnam. Consuming red meat and animal organs, not meeting vegetable recommendations, having high total cholesterol, and experiencing pregnancy-related diseases are the major factors associated with higher rates of hyperuricemia in this study.

Impact of imidacloprid exposure on gestational hyperglycemia: A multi-omics analysis

Imidacloprid (IMI), a commonly utilized neonicotinoid insecticide, has been identified to adversely impact glucose homeostasis. Pregnant women are believed to be more sensitive to toxins than non-pregnant women, and the impact of IMI exposure on gestational hyperglycemia remain unclear. To explore the impact, pregnant mice fed a high-fat diet were exposed to different doses (0.06, 0.6, 6 mg/kg bw/day) of IMI by gavage. Glucose homeostasis-related parameters were measured. The glucose homeostasis influenced by IMI treatment was explored through integrating gut microbiota, metabolomic and transcriptomic analysis. Results showed that IMI-H (6 mg/kg bw/day) exposure notably restricted gestational weight gain and perturbed glucose homeostasis characterized by reduced glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, alongside elevated levels of fasting blood glucose and insulin. Multi-omics analysis revealed that IMI-H exposure induced significant changes in the richness and composition of the gut microbiome. The metabolite profiles of serum samples and cecal contents, and transcriptome of liver and ileum were all affected by IMI-H treatment. The altered gut microbiota, metabolites and genes exhibited significant correlations with glucose homeostasis-related parameters. These differential metabolites and genes were implicated in various metabolic pathways including bile secretion, glucagon signaling pathway, lipid metabolism, fatty acid metabolism. Significant correlations were observed between the altered gut microbiota and caecum metabolome as well as liver transcriptome. For example, the abundance of Oscillibacter was strongly correlated with gut microflora-related metabolites (Icosenoic acid, Lysosulfatide, and fluticasone) and liver differential genes (Grin3b, Lifr, and Spta1). Together, IMI exposure resulted in significant changes in microbial composition, along with alterations in certain metabolites and genes associated with metabolic process, which may promote gestational hyperglycemia.