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Perumal N, Wang D, Darling AM, Liu E, Wang M, Ahmed T, Christian P, Dewey KG, Kac G, Kennedy SH, Subramoney V, Briggs B, Fawzi WW. Suboptimal gestational weight gain and neonatal outcomes in low and middle income countries: individual participant data meta-analysis. BMJ 2023; 382:e072249. [PMID: 37734757 PMCID: PMC10512803 DOI: 10.1136/bmj-2022-072249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To estimate the associations between gestational weight gain (GWG) during pregnancy and neonatal outcomes in low and middle income countries. DESIGN Individual participant data meta-analysis. SETTING Prospective pregnancy studies from 24 low and middle income countries. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Nine neonatal outcomes related to timing (preterm birth) and anthropometry (weight, length, and head circumference) at birth, stillbirths, and neonatal death. ANALYSIS METHODS A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science which identified 53 prospective pregnancy studies published after the year 2000 with data on GWG, timing and anthropometry at birth, and neonatal mortality. GWG adequacy was defined as the ratio of the observed maternal weight gain over the recommended weight gain based on the Institute of Medicine body mass index specific guidelines, which are derived from data in high income settings, and the INTERGROWTH-21st GWG standards. Study specific estimates, adjusted for confounders, were generated and then pooled using random effects meta-analysis models. Maternal age and body mass index before pregnancy were examined as potential modifiers of the associations between GWG adequacy and neonatal outcomes. RESULTS Overall, 55% of participants had severely inadequate (<70%) or moderately inadequate (70% to <90%) GWG, 22% had adequate GWG (90-125%), and 23% had excessive GWG (≥125%). Severely inadequate GWG was associated with a higher risk of low birthweight (adjusted relative risk 1.62, 95% confidence interval 1.51 to 1.72; 48 studies, 93 337 participants; τ2=0.006), small for gestational age (1.44, 1.36 to 1.54; 51 studies, 93 191 participants; τ2=0.016), short for gestational age (1.47, 1.29 to 1.69; 40 studies, 83 827 participants; τ2=0.074), and microcephaly (1.57, 1.31 to 1.88; 31 studies, 80 046 participants; τ2=0.145) compared with adequate GWG. Excessive GWG was associated with a higher risk of preterm birth (1.22, 1.13 to 1.31; 48 studies, 103 762 participants; τ2=0.008), large for gestational age (1.44, 1.33 to 1.57; 47 studies, 90 044 participants; τ2=0.009), and macrosomia (1.52, 1.33 to 1.73; 29 studies, 68 138 participants; τ2=0) compared with adequate GWG. The direction and magnitude of the associations between GWG adequacy and several neonatal outcomes were modified by maternal age and body mass index before pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS Inadequate and excessive GWG are associated with a higher risk of adverse neonatal outcomes across settings. Interventions to promote optimal GWG during pregnancy are likely to reduce the burden of adverse neonatal outcomes, however further research is needed to assess optimal ranges of GWG based on data from low and middle income countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nandita Perumal
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Dongqing Wang
- Department of Global and Community Health, College of Health and Human Services, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
| | - Anne Marie Darling
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Enju Liu
- Institutional Centers for Clinical and Translational Research, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Molin Wang
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Tahmeed Ahmed
- Nutrition & Clinical Services, International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Parul Christian
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Kathryn G Dewey
- Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Gilberto Kac
- Nutritional Epidemiology Observatory, Josué de Castro Nutrition Institute, Rio de Janeiro Federal University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Stephen H Kennedy
- Nuffield Department of Women's & Reproductive Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Brittany Briggs
- Certara USA, on behalf of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Wafaie W Fawzi
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
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Darling AM, Wang D, Perumal N, Liu E, Wang M, Ahmed T, Christian P, Dewey KG, Kac G, Kennedy SH, Subramoney V, Briggs B, Fawzi WW. Risk factors for inadequate and excessive gestational weight gain in 25 low- and middle-income countries: An individual-level participant meta-analysis. PLoS Med 2023; 20:e1004236. [PMID: 37486938 PMCID: PMC10406332 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1004236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Many women experience suboptimal gestational weight gain (GWG) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), but our understanding of risk factors associated with GWG in these settings is limited. We investigated the relationships between demographic, anthropometric, lifestyle, and clinical factors and GWG in prospectively collected data from LMICs. METHODS AND FINDINGS We conducted an individual participant-level meta-analysis of risk factors for GWG outcomes among 138,286 pregnant women with singleton pregnancies in 55 studies (27 randomized controlled trials and 28 prospective cohorts from 25 LMICs). Data sources were identified through PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science searches for articles published from January 2000 to March 2019. Titles and abstracts of articles identified in all databases were independently screened by 2 team members according to the following eligibility criteria: following inclusion criteria: (1) GWG data collection took place in an LMIC; (2) the study was a prospective cohort or randomized trial; (3) study participants were pregnant; and (4) the study was not conducted exclusively among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected women or women with other health conditions that could limit the generalizability of the results. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) body mass index (BMI)-specific guidelines were used to determine the adequacy of GWG, which we calculated as the ratio of the total observed weight gain over the mean recommended weight gain. Study outcomes included severely inadequate GWG (percent adequacy of GWG <70), inadequate GWG (percent adequacy of GWG <90, inclusive of severely inadequate), and excessive GWG (percent adequacy of GWG >125). Multivariable estimates from each study were pooled using fixed-effects meta-analysis. Study-specific regression models for each risk factor included all other demographic risk factors measured in a particular study as potential confounders, as well as BMI, maternal height, pre-pregnancy smoking, and chronic hypertension. Risk factors occurring during pregnancy were further adjusted for receipt of study intervention (if any) and 3-month calendar period. The INTERGROWTH-21st standard was used to define high and low GWG among normal weight women in a sensitivity analysis. The prevalence of inadequate GWG was 54%, while the prevalence of excessive weight gain was 22%. In multivariable models, factors that were associated with a higher risk of inadequate GWG included short maternal stature (<145 cm), tobacco smoking, and HIV infection. A mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) of ≥28.1 cm was associated with the largest increase in risk for excessive GWG (risk ratio (RR) 3.02, 95% confidence interval (CI) [2.86, 3.19]). The estimated pooled difference in absolute risk between those with MUAC of ≥28.1 cm compared to those with a MUAC of 24 to 28.09 cm was 5.8% (95% CI 3.1% to 8.4%). Higher levels of education and age <20 years were also associated with an increased risk of excessive GWG. Results using the INTERGROWTH-21st standard among normal weight women were similar but attenuated compared to the results using the IOM guidelines among normal weight women. Limitations of the study's methodology include differences in the availability of risk factors and potential confounders measured in each individual dataset; not all risk factors or potential confounders of interest were available across datasets and data on potential confounders collected across studies. CONCLUSIONS Inadequate GWG is a significant public health concern in LMICs. We identified diverse nutritional, behavioral, and clinical risk factors for inadequate GWG, highlighting the need for integrated approaches to optimizing GWG in LMICs. The prevalence of excessive GWG suggests that attention to the emerging burden of excessive GWG in LMICs is also warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Marie Darling
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Dongqing Wang
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Global and Community Health, College of Health and Human Services, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Nandita Perumal
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Enju Liu
- Institutional Centers for Clinical and Translational Research, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Molin Wang
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Tahmeed Ahmed
- Nutrition & Clinical Services, International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh
| | - Parul Christian
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Kathryn G. Dewey
- Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Gilberto Kac
- Nutritional Epidemiology Observatory, Josué de Castro Nutrition Institute, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Stephen H. Kennedy
- Nuffield Department of Women’s & Reproductive Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | | | - Brittany Briggs
- Certara USA, Inc. on behalf of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Wafaie W. Fawzi
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
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