PEDIATRICS Vol. 92 No. 6 December 1993, pp. 805-809
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow E-mail this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My File Cabinet
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Stevens-Simon, C.
Right arrow Articles by Roghmann, K. J.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Stevens-Simon, C.
Right arrow Articles by Roghmann, K. J.

Adolescent Gestational Weight Gain and Birth Weight

Catherine Stevens-Simon MD1, Elizabeth R. MCAnarney MD2, and Klaus J. Roghmann PhD2

1 From the Division of Adolescent Medicine, University of Colorado Health Science Center, Denver
2 From the Divisions of Adolescent Medicine and General Pediatrics, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY

Objective. To examine the relationship among maternal age, prepregnancy weight, gestational weight gain, and birth weight in 141 low-income black adolescents and their infants.

Study sample. One hundred forty-one consecutively enrolled, low-income, black adolescents who entered prenatal care prior to their 23rd week of gestation, were free of chronic diseases, took no regular medications, had no known uterine anomalies, and gave birth to one live neonate.

Results. After controlling for prepregnancy weight and other potentially confounding variables, we found a significant relationship between gestational weight gain and infant birth weight among younger adolescents (<16 years old at conception), but not among older adolescents (16 through 19 years old at conception); younger adolescents contributed more of their gestational weight gain to their fetuses than did older adolescents. Among younger adolescents the rate of maternal weight gain during the entire gestation was significantly correlated with birth weight (r = .40; P < .01), whereas for older adolescents only maternal weight gain during the second half of gestation was significantly correlated with birth weight (r = .25, P < .05).

Conclusions. The data do not support the thesis that younger adolescents compete with their fetuses for nutrients; in fact, younger study adolescents transferred more of their gestational weight gain to their fetuses than did older adolescents.

Key Words: adolescents • estational weight gain • birth weight • pregnancy

Submitted on March 1, 1993
Accepted on June 3, 1993




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Biol. Reprod.Home page
J. Luther, R. Aitken, J. Milne, M. Matsuzaki, L. Reynolds, D. Redmer, and J. Wallace
Maternal and Fetal Growth, Body Composition, Endocrinology, and Metabolic Status in Undernourished Adolescent Sheep
Biol Reprod, August 1, 2007; 77(2): 343 - 350.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Biol. Reprod.Home page
J. Luther, J. Milne, R. Aitken, M. Matsuzaki, L. Reynolds, D. Redmer, and J. Wallace
Placental Growth, Angiogenic Gene Expression, and Vascular Development in Undernourished Adolescent Sheep
Biol Reprod, August 1, 2007; 77(2): 351 - 357.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med.Home page
A. TING, P. L. GLICK, D. T. WILCOX, B. A. HOLM, J. GIL, and M. DIMAIO
Alveolar Vascularization of the Lung in a Lamb Model of Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia
Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., January 1, 1997; 157(1): 31 - 34.
[Abstract] [Full Text]