Growth patterns in infants born to women with pregestational overweight/obesity supplemented with docosahexaenoic acid during pregnancy

Abstract

Background: Previous studies of maternal docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplementation during pregnancy have controversial and contrasting results on the short and long-term effects on early child growth. The impact of this nutritional intervention on the postnatal growth patterns in the offspring of women with pregestational overweight/obesity (PGO) also remains controversial. Objective: To analyze the postnatal growth patterns during the first 4 months of life in the offspring of women with PGO randomly supplemented with 800 mg/day (PGO-800) compared with normative doses of 200 mg/day (PGO-200) of DHA during pregnancy (<15 weeks of gestation until delivery). Methods: This study evaluated the growth patterns during the first 4 months of life of 169 infants of the women that participated in the MIGHT study (NCT02574767). We included the infants of women from the PGO-200 (n = 81) and PGO-800 group (n = 88). The growth patterns (weight, length, and head circumference) and change in z-score (World health Organization charts) were evaluated. Results: Throughout the first 4 months of life, the infants of the PGO-800 group had lower weight-for-length z-score (coef. −0.65, 95% confidence interval [CI] −1.07, −0.22, p = 0.003) and lower body mass index-for-age z-score (coef. −0.56, 95% CI −0.99, −0.12, p = 0.012) compared with the PGO-200 group adjusted by maternal body mass index, gestational weight gain, gestational age, insulin in cord blood and infant feeding (exclusive breastfed, not breastfed, and partially breastfed). Conclusions: Maternal supplementation with DHA during pregnancy could beneficially limit the offspring's postnatal weight gain during the first 4 months of life.