Evaluation of the ability of a Latin-American gestational weight curve to predict adverse pregnancy outcomes.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the accuracy of a Latin-American curve used to predict adverse pregnancy outcomes such as low birth weight (LBW), small for gestational age (SGA), large for gestational age (LGA).


METHODS
More than 23000 body mass index (BMI) measurements from 4540 pregnant women participating in a prospective cohort study conducted in 6 Brazilian capitals were analyzed in their relationship to LBW, SGA, LGA, and macrosomia. Analyses were based on receiver operating characteristic curves and models for repeated measures.


RESULTS
The areas under the curve were less than 0.70 for all outcomes, with low sensitivity and specificity for pregestational BMI (0.54-0.61) and BMI at the last prenatal visit (0.63-0.68). The longitudinal model showed a mean weekly BMI gain of 0.16.


CONCLUSIONS
The Latin-American curve is inadequate to predict LBW, SGA, and LGA suggesting the need to develop a new approach for the nutritional monitoring of pregnant women.
Kac
Gilberto
G
Department of Social and Applied Nutrition, Josué de Castro Nutrition Institute, Rio de Janeiro Federal University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. kacetal@gmail.com
Nucci
Luciana Bertoldi
LB
Spyrides
Maria Helena Constantino
MH
Duncan
Bruce B
BB
Schmidt
Maria Inês
MI
D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D005320:Fetal Macrosomia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care; D012016:Reference Values; D015430:Weight Gain; D055815:Young Adult