Percentage Change in Antenatal Body Mass Index as a Predictor of Neonatal Macrosomia
Ann Fam Med Asplund et al.
6: 550
The Article in Brief
Percentage Change in Antenatal Body Mass Index as a Predictor of Neonatal Macrosomia
Chad A. Asplund
, and colleagues
Background Macrosomia, a condition in which a fetus grows unusually large, affects between 3% and 15% of all pregnancies and can cause health problems for both infant and mother. This study examines whether a percentage change in the mother's body mass index, or BMI, (a measurement of body fat) during pregnancy predicts macrosomia.
What This Study Found During pregnancy, an increase in the mother's BMI of 25% or more is highly predictive of macrosomia, regardless of her initial BMI or absolute weight gain.
Implications
- This is the first published study showing that change in BMI during pregnancy is a sensitive predictor of fetal macrosomia, regardless of initial weight.
- This method of predicting macrosomia is easy to use without any special equipment or expert clinical skills and is more sensitive and specific than other methods.
- This method may allow clinicians to tailor pregnancy weight gain recommendations to women's individual needs.
