Fetal and postnatal growth and blood pressure at the age of  2 years. The Generation R Study.
OBJECTIVE
To examine which fetal and postnatal growth characteristics are associated with blood pressure (BP) in children at the age of 2 years.


METHODS
This study was embedded in the Generation R Study, a population-based prospective cohort study from early fetal life onwards. Fetal ultrasound examinations were carried out at the visits in one of the research centers in early, mid- and late pregnancy. Fetal femur length standard deviation scores (SDS) were used as a proxy for body length SDS in the prenatal data. BP measurements were performed at the age of 2 years. Analyses were performed in 566 children.


RESULTS
Inverse tendencies for fetal femur length and estimated fetal weight in mid-pregnancy and late pregnancy with SBP at the age of 2 years were found. The association was only significant for femur length in late pregnancy [-1.22 {95% confidence interval (CI), -2.09, -0.34} mmHg/femur length SDS score]. Length change from late pregnancy to the age of 2 years was positively associated with SBP and DBP [0.97 (95% CI, 0.27, 1.66) mmHg and 0.82 (95% CI, 0.09, 1.55) mmHg per SDS length change, respectively]. A similar association between weight change and SBP was found.


CONCLUSIONS
Increased skeletal and nonskeletal growth rates from late pregnancy to the age of 2 years are associated with somewhat higher SBP and DBP in early childhood. Replication of these findings and studies examining the underlying biological pathways and the long-term consequences are needed.
van Houten
Vera A A
VA
The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus Medical Center, Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Steegers
Eric A P
EA
Witteman
Jacqueline C M
JC
Moll
Henriëtte A
HA
Hofman
Albert
A
Jaddoe
Vincent W V
VW
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D001827:Body Height; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005269:Femur / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000196:embryology; D047109:Fetal Development / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal