Mean Weight Gain In Pregnancy Research Articles

Multisectoral Nutrition Interventions and Their Impact on Pregnancy Weight Gain and Low Birth Weight: An Open Experiment in Two Remote Blocks of Karnataka, India

The Karnataka Multisectoral Nutrition Pilot Project, (KMNPP), 2015–2018, was implemented in Devadurga Block, Raichur District and Chincholli Block, Gulbarga District, two most backward Blocks in Karnataka. Special interventions for behaviour change and appropriate dietary supplementation for pregnant women were implemented through an inter-sectoral, intergenerational strategy. This article analyses real-time data that emerged from the project regarding pregnancy weight gain, the weight of newborns at birth and incidence of low birth weight (LBW), and the inter-relationship between these three indicators. Data indicates that KMNPP interventions resulted in a significant increase in mean pregnancy weight gain from 2.452 kg at baseline to 4.058 kg at end-line. Incidence of LBW declined highly significantly from 34.3% to 25.8% from baseline to end line and the mean birthweight of newborns increased significantly from 2.599 kg to 2.695 kg. Data provides strong evidence of a direct correlation between increased maternal pregnancy weight gain, a decrease in per cent LBW and a corresponding increase in mean birth weight of newborns, as the project interventions progressed. This article also provides strong evidence that simple KMNPP interventions addressing pregnancy nutritional care including appropriate dietary supplementation and behaviour change can be replicated in any chronic undernutrition areas to improve pregnancy weight gain, increase birth weight and reduce the incidence of low birth weight.

Weight gain in pregnancy and infant birthweight after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic: an interrupted time series analysis

BackgroundIncreased weight gain and decreased physical activity have been reported in some populations since the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, but this has not been well characterized in pregnant populations. ObjectivesOur objective was to characterize the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated countermeasures on pregnancy weight gain and infant birthweight in a US cohort. MethodsWashington State pregnancies and births (1 January, 2016 to 28 December, 2020) from a multihospital quality improvement organization were examined for pregnancy weight gain, pregnancy weight gain z-score adjusted for pregestational BMI and gestational age, and infant birthweight z-score, using an interrupted time series design that controls for underlying time trends. We used mixed-effect linear regression models, controlled for seasonality and clustered at the hospital level, to model the weekly time trends and changes on 23 March, 2020, the onset of local COVID-19 countermeasures. ResultsOur analysis included 77,411 pregnant people and 104,936 infants with complete outcome data. The mean pregnancy weight gain was 12.1 kg (z-score: −0.14) during the prepandemic time period (March to December 2019) and increased to 12.4 kg (z-score: −0.09) after the onset of the pandemic (March to December 2020). Our time series analysis found that after the pandemic onset, the mean weight gain increased by 0.49 kg (95% CI: 0.25, 0.73 kg) and weight gain z-score increased by 0.080 (95% CI: 0.03, 0.13), with no changes in the baseline yearly trend. Infant birthweight z-scores were unchanged (−0.004; 95% CI: −0.04, 0.03). Overall, the results were unchanged in analyses stratified by pregestational BMI categories. ConclusionsWe observed a modest increase in weight gain after the onset of the pandemic among pregnant people but no changes in infant birthweights. This weight change could be more important in high BMI subgroups.

Predictors of very early postpartum weight loss in women with recent gestational diabetes mellitus

Objective: Women with gestational diabetes (GDM) have a 7–12-fold increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes later in life. Postpartum weight retention is highly predictive for future obesity, and further increases risk for type 2 diabetes. We sought to identify predictors of losing at least 75% of gestational weight gain by very early postpartum in women with recent GDM.Methods: We recruited women with GDM during pregnancy or just after delivery. Prepregnancy weight was self-reported at recruitment; gestational weight gain, mode of delivery, and insulin use were extracted from medical records. At a mean of 7.2 (±2.1) weeks postpartum we measured weight and height and administered questionnaires, including demographics, breastfeeding, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, sleep, Harvard Food Frequency, and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. We modeled the odds of 75% loss of gestational weight gain at the study visit using multivariable logistic regression models and selected the model with the lowest Akaike information criterion (AIC) as our final model. Analyses were conducted using JMP 10–13 Pro (SAS Institute Inc.)Results: Seventy-five women with recent GDM were included in the study. The mean age of study participants was 33 (SD ±5) years old, of whom 57% were white, 30% were African American, and 20% of the women identified as Hispanic. The mean prepregnancy BMI was 31.4 kg/m2 (SD ±5.6) and the mean pregnancy weight gain was 12.5 kg (SD ±7.8). Fifty-two percent of participants lost at least 75% of their pregnancy weight gain by the early postpartum study visit. Thirty-seven women (49%) exceeded Institute of Medicine (IOM) guidelines for gestational weight gain. In a multivariate model adjusting for weeks postpartum at the time of the study visit, less gestational weight gain (OR 0.56; 95% CI 0.39–0.73), increased age (OR 1.48; 95% CI 1.13–2.20), and lack of insulin use during pregnancy (OR 0.08 for use of insulin; 95% CI 0.00–0.73) were associated with at least 75% postpartum weight loss. Prepregnancy BMI and sleep were not retained in the model. Race/ethnicity, education, breastfeeding, nulliparity, cesarean section, depressive symptoms, dietary composition, glycemic index, and physical activity did not meet criteria for inclusion in the model.Conclusions: A substantial proportion of women with recent GDM lost at least 75% of their gestational weight gain by early postpartum. Older women, those who did not use insulin during pregnancy and those who gained less weight during pregnancy were significantly more likely to have lost 75% of gestational weight by very early postpartum.

Factors affecting pregnancy weight gain and relationships with maternal/fetal outcomes in Turkey.

Objectives:To determine the effects of pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and gestational weight gain on maternal and fetal complications, and to examine whether Turkish women achieve the recommended gestational weight gain. We also investigated the relationship between pregnancy weight gain and mode of delivery, with an examination of maternal anthropometry.Methods:A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on a population of 986 pregnant women between November 2011 and November 2015 at Atatürk Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. Maternal age, BMI, monthly weight gain during pregnancy, infant birth weight, gender, and maternal and fetal adverse outcomes were evaluated.Results:The frequency of maternal complications was positively associated with elevated pre-pregnancy BMI (p<0.05), and weight gain during pregnancy was associated with parity and increased infant birth weight (p<0.05). However, no correlations were observed between mean pregnancy weight gain and maternal complications (p>0.05). The percentage of women who gained the Institute of Medicine (IOM)-recommended amount of weight was the highest in the underweight BMI group (54.1%) and the lowest in the obese BMI group (24.3%). Pregnancy weight gain exceeded IOM recommendations in the overweight (56.3%) and obese (52.5%) groups.Conclusions:While maternal weight gain during pregnancy affects neonatal body weight, higher pre-pregnancy BMI has an adverse effect on recommended weight gain during pregnancy, with increased maternal complications.

High Maternal BMI Associated With Cervical Shortening in Women With Short Cervix on Second Trimester Anatomy Scan [27K

INTRODUCTION: Identify variables associated with cervical length (CL) changes in women with a short CL at time of second trimester anatomy scan. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of patients diagnosed with short CL at time of routine anatomy scan, between 16–26 weeks from October, 2012–June, 2015. Short CL was defined as <25 mm in high risk (HR) or <20 mm in low risk (LR) patients. Patients with history of spontaneous preterm delivery or 1+ 2nd trimester spontaneous abortions defined as HR. Change in CL calculated using difference between initial CL and subsequent measurement. Regression analysis performed with stepwise selection of variables, to assess for variables that are predictive of cervical change. RESULTS: 404 (4.6%)/8,732 scanned found to have short CL. Data incomplete for 208 were excluded from the analysis. Mean maternal age 28.7 and mean gestational age at diagnosis 21w1d. Mean Body Mass Index (BMI) 29.7 kg/m2 (14–57) and mean pregnancy weight gain 19.6 lbs (0–54). 25% were HR and 75% LR. The most common interventions were vaginal progesterone (38%) and cerclage (16%), with 40% expectant. Mean change in CL for this cohort between both scans was a decrease by 14 mm. Using regression analysis, BMI was predictive of CL shortening (P=.052). For every 10 BMI points, the cervix shortened by 1.8 mm. CONCLUSION: In this cohort of patients with short CL identified at time of routine anatomy scan, the BMI was predictive of further CL shortening. These results may imply a need for closer CL surveillance in patients with higher BMI who are found to have a short CL.

Mothers’ pre-pregnancy BMI and weight gain during pregnancy and risk of breast cancer in daughters

Previous studies have established that higher birthweight is associated with increased risk of breast cancer. However, the mechanisms underlying this association remain unclear. We explored whether maternal pregnancy weight gain and pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), which influence birthweight, are associated with risk of breast cancer in offspring. The Nurses' Mothers case-control study of breast cancer was nested in the Nurses' Health Study I and II cohorts. Mothers of 814 nurses with and 1,809 nurses without breast cancer completed questionnaires with information on pre-pregnancy height and weight, pregnancy weight gain, and other aspects of their pregnancies with the nurse daughters. We calculated odds ratios for breast cancer using conditional logistic regression. Mean pregnancy weight gain was 23 lb, and average pre-pregnancy BMI was 21 kg/m². Mothers' weight gain during pregnancy was not associated with the daughters' risk of breast cancer. Compared to women whose mothers gained 20-29 lb, women whose mothers gained less than 10 lb had a relative risk of 0.92 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.62-1.36), adjusting for the age of the nurses. Women whose mothers gained 40 or more pounds had a relative risk of 0.82 (95% CI: 0.55-1.23). Mothers' pre-pregnancy BMI was not associated with the daughters' risk of breast cancer. Women whose mothers had a pre-pregnancy BMI of 30 or more had a relative risk of 0.77 (95% CI: 0.34-1.74) compared to those with BMI less than 20. Additional adjustment for prenatal factors or for nurses' characteristics later in life had no effect on the results. The association between birthweight and breast cancer risk is likely due to factors independent of mothers' weight gain during pregnancy or pre-pregnancy BMI. Because BMIs and pregnancy weight gains were lower in this population than today, we cannot rule out associations for very high pre-pregnancy BMIs or pregnancy weight gains.

The effects of pre-pregnancy body mass index and gestational weight gain on neonatal birth weight in Taiwan

The aim of this retrospective study was to explore the effects of pre-pregnancy body mass index and gestational weight gain on neonatal birth weight in Taiwan.Study subjects included two hundred and sixty three women who delivered their babies at two local hospitals in southern Taiwan. Initial data included maternity records on age, parity, socio-economic status, body mass index (BMI), pregnancy weight gain, neonatal gender, and neonatal birth weight. The mean age of 263 women was 29.99 years (range 19 - 42). The mean BMI was 21.19 kg/m2 (range 16.22 - 32.05), and the mean pregnancy weight gain was 13.98 kg (range 3 - 33.5). The mean neonatal birth weight was 3192.57 gm (range 2120 - 4390). Mothers whose BMI was 24 - 27 had significantly higher neonatal birth weight than those mothers with a BMI > 27 and < 18.5) (F = 5.816, p = 0.001). After dividing the weight gain during pregnancy into four groups based on the recommendation of the Department of Health in Taiwan, our results show differences between maternal weight gain and neonatal body weight (F = 9.49, p < 0.001). Pregnant women with a weight gain less than 10 kg resulted in deliveries of neonates with lower birth weight (113.94, 237.62 and 332.58 gm) than those mothers who gained 10 - 14, 14 – 16 kg, and more than 16kg. Multiple regression models control for other maternal and neonatal characteristics were able to document, weight gain as being more strongly associated with neonatal birth weight than pre-pregnancy body mass index. Neonatal birth weight was not correlated with maternal working status, socio-economical status and was not differentiated between primipara and multipara status. Conclusively, pre-pregnancy BMI and prenatal weight gain are related to neonatal birth weight. These results suggest that the pre-pregnancy BMI and prenatal weight gain should be among the most important concerns for providers offering prenatal services. Hopefully these findings will serve as a useful reference for prenatal nurses and will reinforce health insurance departments’ efforts to ensure quality prenatal care. Key words: Body mass index, pregnancy weight gain, neonatal birth weight

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Prospective Study

ABSTRACTBackgroundMaternal hyperglycemia is considered a risk factor for both fetus and mother which can lead to significant morbidity and sometimes, even mortality. Here, we present a two years study of gestational diabetes which was intended to see the incidence and its determinants in the Patan Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal. Patan Hospital is a tertiary care level teaching hospital.Subjects and MethodsAll pregnant women visiting ANC clinic or admitted to the ward with the diagnosis of GDM from July 2005 to June 2007 at Patan Hospital were taken for the study. In Patan Hospital, pregnant ladies are routinely screened for diabetes with 50 gm glucose challenge test (GCT) and if the value is more than 140 mg/dl, they are subjected to 100 gm Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT). If two or more than two values are increased, they are managed as gestational diabetes. These cases of gestational diabetes are enrolled for the study. Data was collected by interview and laboratory investigations using standard set of questioner.ResultsOut of 13,382 consecutive deliveries, 53 patients were admitted with the diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Among them, 40.4% were Brahmin, 38.5% Newar, 11.5% Chettri and 9.6% from other cast. GDM was more common in the age group 26 to 35 years and was more prevalent in urban population than rural (urban 84.6% vs rural 15.4%). Similarly, it was more common in multipara patients. Only 28.8% of the cases were having polyhydramnios on ultrasound. Mean weight gain in pregnancy was 8.96 kg with a range of 3 to 20 kg approximately, 58% of patients had family history of diabetes, 48.7% of patients had history of GDM in previous pregnancy and 7.7% of patients had overt diabetes. Most of the patients needed insulin (92.3%) and only 7.7% of patients were managed with only diet and exercise. No significant fetomaternal complication was observed in our study.ConclusionThere was significant number of cases diagnosed as GDM. All patients who were diagnosed early and treated accordingly had less complications related to mother and child.

Pregnancy weight gain from 1960s to 2000 in Finland

To study secular trends in average pregnancy weight gain between the 1960s and 2000 in Finland, and whether the changes were related to body mass index (BMI), age or parity. Three cross-sectional population surveys in Finland from three different periods. Women who were pregnant in Helsinki in the period 1954-1963 (N=2262), or in Tampere in the period 1985-1986 (N=1771) or in 2000-2001 (N=371). Pregnancy weight gain was determined from self-reported prepregnancy weight and measured weights during pregnancy. The mean age and prepregnancy BMI of all pregnant women increased between the 1960s and 2000 (from 26.5 to 29.6 y, from 21.9 to 23.7 kg/m(2)). The mean pregnancy weight gain, adjusted for mother's age, BMI and parity, increased from the 1960s to the mid-1980s from 13.2 to 14.3 kg. The increase was observed in all BMI categories. Compared to the 1960 cohort, the proportion of women with a pregnancy weight gain of less than 10 kg decreased and the proportion of women with a weight gain of 15 kg or more increased in the 1980 cohort. After the mid-1980s, the average pregnancy weight gain remained the same. In all cohorts, overweight women gained least weight during pregnancy, but age and parity were not associated with BMI and parity-/age-adjusted pregnancy weight gain. Higher pregnancy weight gain was associated with higher mean child's birthweight and higher proportion of high birthweight babies in all cohorts. The mean pregnancy weight gain has increased since the 1960s, which may be of importance with regard to the development of later obesity. Factors other than changes in prepregnancy BMI, age and parity must explain the increased pregnancy weight gain over time.

Weight gain in women of normal weight before pregnancy: complications in pregnancy or delivery and birth outcome

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relation between gestational weight gain in women of normal prepregnant weight and complications during pregnancy and delivery in a population with high gestational weight gain and birth weight. METHODS: Healthy women ( n = 615) of normal weight before pregnancy (body mass index 19.5–25.5 kg/m 2) were randomly selected. Maternity records gave information on age, height, prepregnant weight, gestational weight gain, parity, smoking, gestational hypertension and diabetes, preeclampsia, delivery complications, and infants’ birth size and health. RESULTS: The mean weight gain in pregnancy was 16.8 ± 4.9 kg (mean ± standard deviation). A total of 26.4% of the women had complications, either in pregnancy (9.1%) or delivery (17.3%). Women gaining weight according to the recommendation of the Institute of Medicine (11.5–16.0 kg) had lower frequency of pregnancy-delivery complications than women gaining more than 20.0 kg ( P = .017), but did not differ significantly from those gaining 16–20 kg ( P > .05). When dividing weight gain in pregnancy into quintiles, a relative risk of 2.69 (95% confidence interval 1.01, 7.18, P = .048) was found for complications in pregnancy in the fourth quintile (17.9–20.8 kg), using the second quintile as reference (12.5–15.5 kg). The mean birth weight was 3778 ± 496 g. A low weight gain in pregnancy (less than 11.5 kg) was associated with an increased frequency of infants weighing less than 3500 g at birth ( P < .01). CONCLUSION: A gestational weight gain of 11.5–16.0 kg (Institute of Medicine recommendation) for women of normal prepregnant weight is related to the lowest risk for pregnancy-delivery complications. In the population studied, the upper limit might be higher (up to 18 kg), and low weight gain should be avoided to optimize birth outcome.

Weight Gain in Women of Normal Weight Before Pregnancy

In Brief OBJECTIVE To investigate the relation between gestational weight gain in women of normal prepregnant weight and complications during pregnancy and delivery in a population with high gestational weight gain and birth weight. METHODS Healthy women (n = 615) of normal weight before pregnancy (body mass index 19.5–25.5 kg/m2) were randomly selected. Maternity records gave information on age, height, prepregnant weight, gestational weight gain, parity, smoking, gestational hypertension and diabetes, preeclampsia, delivery complications, and infants' birth size and health. RESULTS The mean weight gain in pregnancy was 16.8 ± 4.9 kg (mean ± standard deviation). A total of 26.4% of the women had complications, either in pregnancy (9.1%) or delivery (17.3%). Women gaining weight according to the recommendation of the Institute of Medicine (11.5–16.0 kg) had lower frequency of pregnancy-delivery complications than women gaining more than 20.0 kg (P = .017), but did not differ significantly from those gaining 16–20 kg (P > .05). When dividing weight gain in pregnancy into quintiles, a relative risk of 2.69 (95% confidence interval 1.01, 7.18, P = .048) was found for complications in pregnancy in the fourth quintile (17.9–20.8 kg), using the second quintile as reference (12.5–15.5 kg). The mean birth weight was 3778 ± 496 g. A low weight gain in pregnancy (less than 11.5 kg) was associated with an increased frequency of infants weighing less than 3500 g at birth (P < .01). CONCLUSION A gestational weight gain of 11.5–16.0 kg (Institute of Medicine recommendation) for women of normal prepregnant weight is related to the lowest risk for pregnancy-delivery complications. In the population studied, the upper limit might be higher (up to 18 kg), and low weight gain should be avoided to optimize birth outcome. The Institute of Medicine's recommended gestational weight gain for normal prepregnant weight is related to the lowest risk for pregnancy-delivery complications. The recommendation might be higher in some populations.

Effect of riboflavin supplementation on zinc and iron absorption and growth performance in mice.

Diets prevalent in vegetarian populations using rice and other whole grains as staples with little consumption of yellow vegetables are low in riboflavin. These diets have poor bioavailability of iron and zinc because metals are present as inorganic salts with low solubility. Riboflavin has the capacity to form complexes, and supplementation of riboflavin may result in increased absorption of zinc and iron, thus increasing the cellular transport. Therefore, riboflavin may have direct as well as indirect effects on growth. Using this as the conceptual basis, experiments were conducted on pregnant and lactating mice. Two groups, each of 12 mice (9 females and 3 males), were observed on a low-riboflavin rice-based diet (adequate in all other nutrients), one with and one without supplementation of 10 mg riboflavin/kg diet. There was significant improvement in the growth parameters like percent conception, mean weight gain in pregnancy, mean weight of pups at the age of 21 d, and percentage hemoglobin due to riboflavin supplementation (p < 0.05). Percent zinc absorption, for the low-riboflavin diet, the supplemented diet, and the synthetic control diet were 16.4+/-5.7, 33.7+/-8.9, and 44.6+/-4.0, respectively, indicating the beneficial effect of riboflavin supplementation on iron and zinc utilization.

Dietary intake, anthropometry and birth outcome of rural pregnant women in two Iranian districts

The purpose of this study was to determine the dietary intake and anthropometric measurements of rural pregnant women and the relationship of these measurements to pregnancy outcome. A total of 90 pregnant women were studied. They included all the eligible pregnant women in two districts of Karaj and Shemiranat, Iran. Mean pregnancy weight gain was 9.13 ± 3.41 kg. Underweight prior to pregnancy (BMI <19.8) and low pregnancy weight gain were found among 28% and 59% of the subjects, respectively. Mean intake of food energy, iron, zinc, and calcium were inadequate (<75% of RDA) in 21.1, 26, 74, and 92% of the subjects, respectively. No significant correlation was found between the food energy and nutrient intakes of the women and infant birthweight. However, birthweight was significantly correlated with prepregnancy weight, BMI, and arm circumference (P<0.05). Based on stepwise multiple regression analysis, prepregnancy weight was the most independant variable associated with birthweight and maternal dietary intake.

The effect of work activity in pregnancy on the risk of fetal growth retardation.

The relationship between physical activity at work and risk of fetal growth restriction is controversial. For the most part, previous studies investigated the effect of work activity on birthweight alone. We evaluated the impact of type of occupation and physical effort at work on the risk of ultrasonographically confirmed fetal growth retardation among nulliparous women. We compared the characteristics of work and the intensity of occupational fatigue (work posture, weekly working hours, physical effort at work) in 349 patients with ultrasonographically confirmed fetal growth retardation and 698 control pregnancies with appropriate fetal growth. Physical demands at work were evaluated by interview at birth. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the association of employment status, type of occupation, and intensity of occupational fatigue with the risk of fetal growth retardation, correcting for potential confounders (maternal age, pre-pregnancy body mass index, mean weight gain in pregnancy, education, partner's social status, smoking in pregnancy, alcohol use, illicit drug use, time of stopping work, and hypertension). After adjusting for confounding, the risk of fetal growth retardation was similar between unemployed and formally employed women at the beginning of pregnancy (OR = 1.26; 95% confidence interval = 0.86 - 1.83). However, manual workers were at slightly higher risk of IUGR than not formally employed women (OR = 1.81; 95% CI = 1.15 - 2.85). Among formally employed women, standing or walking at work, and working > or = 30 hours a week were not significantly associated with IUGR. Finally, the risk of IUGR was significantly higher (OR = 2.46; 95% CI = 1.36 - 4.21) among women reporting moderate-to-heavy as compared to light physical effort at work. Formal employment at the beginning of pregnancy is not associated with an increased risk of IUGR. However, moderate-to-heavy physical effort at work seems to increase the risk of sonographically confirmed fetal growth retardation.

Growth of Breast-Fed Infants Deviates From Current Reference Data: A Pooled Analysis of US, Canadian, and European Data Sets

The sample sizes of infants from the selected studies are shown in Tables 2-4, categorized by duration of breast-feeding, timing of introduction of solid foods, and use of infant formula or other milks. Table 5 shows the cross-tabulation by duration of breast-feeding and age of introduction of supplemental milk or formula. In total, 453 infants were included, of whom 226 were breast-fed for at least 12 months. Of these 226, 141 were not regularly given other milks or formula during the first year of life. Of the total sample, solid foods were introduced at 4 to 5 months to 42% (Table 3), at 6 to 7 months to 38%, at 8 to 9 months at 17%, and after 9 months to 2%. The samples were relatively homogeneous with respect to average maternal weight, height, and age. Mean pregnancy weight gain in the three studies reporting this ranged from 12.7 to 15.0 kg. Maternal educational levels were generally high: in the studies reporting this as a continuous variable, the overall mean was 15.4 ± 2.4 years of education. Mean birth weight ranged from 3414 to 3605 g. Characteristics of infants categorized by breast-feeding duration are shown in Table 6 (the group breast-fed for 4 to 5 month is not shown, because there were only 10 infants in this category). Mothers who breast-fed for 12 or more months were older and had higher parity and educational levels than mothers who breast-fed for less than 12 months, but birth weight did not differ significantly among groups.

A comparison of pregnant Hispanic adolescents ≤ 17 years old with those of black and anglo ethnicity

To determine if the prepregnancy characteristics, pregnancy course, and outcome of Hispanic adolescents differed from their black and Anglo peers, we retrospectively reviewed the pregnancies of all adolescents ≤ 17 years old who delivered in 1985–86 at The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. The sample of 1,080 teenagers included 254 (23.5%) Hispanics, 329 (30.5%) blacks, and 497 (46%) Anglos. Hispanic adolescents differed from their peers at the onset of pregnancy in that they were more likely to be married, less educated, and physically shorter. Similarities among adolescents of all three ethnicities included number of clinic visits, mean gestational age when care began, mean weight gain in pregnancy, mean 1-minute Apgar scores, and the percentage of preterm deliveries, cesarean sections, and stillboms. Infants born to black teenagers had significantly lower birth weights than Hispanics and Anglos, although the incidence of preterm births for black infants was lower in our sample than for infants of other black adolescents ≤ 17 years in our geographic region. The incidence of low birthweight (LBW) infants was higher among Hispanic teenagers in our sample than that reported for teenagers of Mexican origin. Attention should be focused on factors that may explain the ethnic differences among pregnant teenagers, such as the effect of acculturation, analysis of dietary intake based on cultural preferences and family and environmental factors, sociocultural factors influencing decisions about marital status, educational achievement, and motherhood. An urgent need in this population is for pregnancy prevention, particularly among the very young Hispanic and black adolescents.