Pre-Pregnancy Maternal Nutritional Status and Physical Activity Levels During Pregnancy Associated with Birth Size Outcomes in Minangkabau Women, Indonesia

Abstract

Objectives: To analyse the association between maternal physical activity status and birth size outcomes and whether other determinants of confounding variable such as pre-pregnancy BMI (PP BMI) and gestational weight gain (GWG) during pregnancy affect birth size outcomes. Methods: A prospective birth cohort study. Subject's PAL was measured at the first trimester (T1) and third trimester (T3) during pregnancy. Birth size outcomes were measured immediately after birth. Results: The analyses included 183 mother and infant pairs with a mean newborn birth weight of 3211.75 ± 434.70 g. Pregnant women at T3 had two times lower physical activity than T1 of pregnancy (OR, 2.18; CI, 1.044-4.57; P = 0.045). Maternal PAL at T1 and T3 were in sedentary level (74.30% and 77%, respectively). There was no association between PP BMI and physical activity level during pregnancy. We found no significant association between PAL during pregnancy and birth size outcomes (P > 0.05 for all comparisons). However, we had a significant association with birth weight after our confounder adjustment (P = 0.032). There was a significant interaction between maternal PAL and PP BMI on birth weight and head circumference (Pinteraction < 0.05). Conclusions: Our study provides evidence that neither maternal physical activity status nor pre-pregnancy BMI in the prenatal period are associated with birth size outcomes (birthweight, birth length, and head circumference).