Testing the Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommendations on maternal reproductive health and associated neonatal characteristics in a transitional, Mediterranean population

Background High pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and excessive gestational weight gain (GWG) are significant risk factors for maternal and neonatal health. Aim To assess pre-pregnancy BMI and GWG during pregnancy and their association with different maternal and neonatal characteristics in the transitional Mediterranean population from the Eastern Adriatic islands. Subjects and methods Two hundred and sixty-two mother-child dyads from the CRoatian Islands' Birth Cohort Study (CRIBS) were included in the study. Chi-square test, ANOVA, and regression analysis were used to test the association between selected characteristics. Results In total, 22% of women entered pregnancy as overweight/obese and 46.6% had excessive GWG. Pre-pregnancy overweight and obesity were significantly associated with elevated triglycerides uric acid levels, and decreased HDL cholesterol in pregnancy. Excessive GWG was associated with elevated fibrinogen and lipoprotein A levels. Women with high pre-pregnancy BMI and GWG values were more likely to give birth to babies that were large for gestational age (LGA), additionally confirmed in the multiple logistic regression model. Conclusion High maternal pre-pregnancy BMI and excessive GWG were both significantly associated with deviated biochemical parameters and neonatal size. More careful monitoring of maternal nutritional status can lead to better pre- and perinatal maternal healthcare.