title: Maternal weight gain: a determinant for fetal abdominal circumference in the second trimester.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the association between maternal weight gain in pregnancy and fetal abdominal circumference in the second trimester.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Low-risk antenatal clinic.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six hundred and fifty women with low-risk pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women with a regular menstrual period (28±4 days) and certain information on the last menstrual period were recruited when they were referred for routine ultrasound scanning. Women with a discrepancy of>14 days between ultrasound and menstrual age were excluded. Maternal weight gain during pregnancy was derived from information in the antenatal chart and the weekly weight gain was calculated. Fetal abdominal circumference measurements were registered in gestational weeks 15-25 and their z-scores, together with the z-scores of maternal weight gain, were used in a linear regression analysis. Main outcome measures. Association between maternal weight gain and fetal abdominal circumference.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Based on the complete data of 515 women we found a mean maternal weight gain during pregnancy of 0.39 kg/week and a positive association between this weight gain and fetal abdominal circumference in the second trimester (r=0.122 (95%CI 0.051-0.194)), with the strongest effect in women with the slowest weight gain (<0.28 kg/week) (r=0.554 (95%CI 0.261-0.846)).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Maternal weight gain in pregnancy is related to and may determine fetal abdominal circumference in gestational weeks 15-25, particularly in those women with a slow weight gain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Jonas Lies Vei 65, Bergen, Norway. henriette.hellebust@helse-bergen.no
authors.forename: Henriette
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hellebust
authors.forename: Synnøve Lian
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Johnsen
authors.forename: Svein
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rasmussen
authors.forename: Torvid
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kiserud
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development; D005333:Fetus / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D009035:Mothers; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal; D055105:Waist Circumference; D015430:Weight Gain