February 9th, 2010 
The lifestyle habits you bring into pregnancy can have lasting effects on your baby’s health, new research shows.
A Dutch study found that women who smoked, had high blood pressure or low folic acid levels in early pregnancy had babies that were smaller in the first trimester of pregnancy and had a higher risk of complications later.
“Our study demonstrates that several maternal physical characteristics and lifestyle habits, such as smoking and non-use of folic acid supplements, affect first-trimester fetal growth,” said study senior author Dr. Vincent Jaddoe, a pediatric epidemiologist at Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
“First-trimester growth restriction is associated with higher risks of adverse birth outcomes and accelerated postnatal growth rates. Thus, the first trimester of pregnancy seems to be a very critical period for fetal growth and development. This is important, since it suggests that the fetus is already affected before pregnant women visit their midwife or obstetrician,” he said.
For the study, published in the Feb. 10 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, the researchers followed 1,631 pregnant women from their first trimester through their pregnancies. The growth of their offspring was assessed until the children were 2.
The average age of the mothers was 31, and 71 percent were white. More than half had a higher than high school education. The average body mass index was 23.5, which is normal (over 25 is considered overweight). About one-quarter smoked at the start of the study.
The researchers found that certain factors affected the likelihood that a fetus would have a small crown to rump length (a standard way to measure babies using ultrasound). Babies whose mothers smoked or had higher diastolic blood pressure readings (diastolic is the bottom number in blood pressure) were more likely to be smaller. Women who didn’t use folic acid supplements and those with higher levels of red blood cells also had smaller babies, according to the study.
A small size during the first trimester translated to a higher risk of certain complications later in the pregnancy, such as preterm birth and low birth weight.
Babies that had first-trimester growth restriction had 7.2 percent odds of being born preterm compared to 4 percent for babies who weren’t growth-restricted. Odds of low birth weight were 7.5 percent for growth-restricted babies compared to 3.5 percent for other babies. And, the odds of being born small-for-gestational-age were 10.6 percent for babies who were growth-restricted compared to 4 percent for babies who grew normally during early pregnancy.
Jaddoe and Dr. Gordon Smith, author of an accompanying editorial in the same issue of the journal, believe that when a woman is exposed to poor lifestyle habits in early pregnancy, it may affect development of the placenta, which then affects the fetus’ ability to survive and thrive.
The bottom line for women is that it’s important to go to the doctor before getting pregnant to find out what steps to take to ensure that you’re in the best shape possible before you get pregnant, such as quitting smoking and taking folic acid supplements.
Related
- Pot smoking during pregnancy may stunt fetal growth
Women who smoke marijuana during pregnancy may impair their baby’s growth and development in the womb, a new study suggests.
Poor fetal growth and reduced head circumference at birth are linked to an increased risk of problems with thinking, memory and behavior in childhood. Cigarette smoking during pregnancy is known to impair fetal growth, but studies on the potential effects of marijuana have been inconclusive.
For the new study, researchers in the Netherlands followed more than 7,000 pregnant women, 3 percent of whom acknowledged smoking marijuana at least during early pregnancy. They found that babies born to marijuana users tended to weigh less and have smaller heads than other infants.
What’s more, the study found, the longer a woman had used marijuana during pregnancy, the stronger the impact on birth size – suggesting that the drug itself was to blame.
And while most marijuana users in the study also smoked cigarettes, the drug appeared to have effects over and above those of tobacco. In fact, marijuana showed stronger effects on birth size than tobacco, the investigators report in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
The findings suggest that marijuana use, even restricted to early pregnancy, may have irreversible effects on fetal growth, write the researchers, led by Hannan El Marroun of Erasmus University Medical Center in Rotterdam.
The study included almost 7,500 pregnant women who were surveyed on their use of alcohol, tobacco and drugs, and had ultrasounds to chart fetal growth during the first, second and third trimesters.
Overall, 214 women said they had used marijuana before and during early pregnancy; 81 percent quit after learning they were pregnant, but 41 women continued to smoke marijuana throughout pregnancy.
The researchers found that, on average, marijuana users gave birth to smaller babies, particularly those who had used throughout pregnancy.
Women who had smoked only during early pregnancy had babies who were 156 grams — about 5.5 ounces — lighter than infants born to women who had not used the drug. Women who had continued to smoke past early pregnancy had babies who were 277 grams, or nearly 10 ounces, smaller.
Based on ultrasound, marijuana use only in early pregnancy impaired fetal growth by about 11 grams per week, while use throughout pregnancy slowed fetal growth by roughly 14 grams per week. That compared with a deficit of 4 grams per week with tobacco use, the researchers found.
Similar patterns were seen when the researchers looked at fetal head circumference.
According to El Marroun’s team, mothers’ marijuana use could stunt fetal growth for several reasons. Like tobacco smoking, it may deprive the fetus of oxygen. It is also possible that the byproducts of marijuana directly affect the developing nervous and hormonal systems of the fetus.
Finally, the researchers note, pregnant women who use marijuana may have other factors in their lives – such as a less-than-healthy diet or chronic stress — that could contribute to poor fetal growth.
- Pregnancy adversely affects spatial memory
The debate over “preggo brain” continues with the release of a new study:
Pregnant women had reduced spatial recognition memory during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, and this effect persisted for at least three months after birth, new study results suggested.
Researchers assessed the influence of sex steroids, such as estradiol, progesterone, cortisol and prolactin, on memory and attention during pregnancy in 23 women and compared results with 24 nonpregnant women. Using four computer-based tests, the researchers evaluated memory patterns, attention, mood and anxiety during each trimester and at three months after birth; some women were also tested at preconception and at 12 months.
Compared with nonpregnant women, pregnant women performed worse on the spatial memory test during the second trimester (82% vs. 70%; P=.001), third trimester (80% vs. 73%; P=.03) and at three months after birth (80% vs. 68%; P=.0001).
Moreover, pregnant women had decreased mood, greater anxiety levels and a higher risk for depression compared with nonpregnant women. Women in the control group had stable scores across all testing measures; however, a learning effect was observed.
Estradiol, progesterone, cortisol, prolactin and sex hormone-binding globulin were significantly increased during pregnancy. Conversely, dehydroepiandrosterone-sulphate levels were reduced by 50% during pregnancy.
“Forgetfulness and slips of attention are phenomena commonly reported by pregnant women, but scientists have yet to identify a specific mechanism by which this memory impairment might occur,” Diane Farrar, NP, of the Bradford Institute for Health Research, United Kingdom, said in a press release. “Indeed, some question whether the reported memory loss exists at all. More research is now needed to identify the neurological effects of pregnancy to help guide future research and provide information for women and those involved in maternity care.”
- Pregnancy adversely affects spatial memory
The debate over “preggo brain” continues with the release of a new study:
Pregnant women had reduced spatial recognition memory during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, and this effect persisted for at least three months after birth, new study results suggested.
Researchers assessed the influence of sex steroids, such as estradiol, progesterone, cortisol and prolactin, on memory and attention during pregnancy in 23 women and compared results with 24 nonpregnant women. Using four computer-based tests, the researchers evaluated memory patterns, attention, mood and anxiety during each trimester and at three months after birth; some women were also tested at preconception and at 12 months.
Compared with nonpregnant women, pregnant women performed worse on the spatial memory test during the second trimester (82% vs. 70%; P=.001), third trimester (80% vs. 73%; P=.03) and at three months after birth (80% vs. 68%; P=.0001).
Moreover, pregnant women had decreased mood, greater anxiety levels and a higher risk for depression compared with nonpregnant women. Women in the control group had stable scores across all testing measures; however, a learning effect was observed.
Estradiol, progesterone, cortisol, prolactin and sex hormone-binding globulin were significantly increased during pregnancy. Conversely, dehydroepiandrosterone-sulphate levels were reduced by 50% during pregnancy.
“Forgetfulness and slips of attention are phenomena commonly reported by pregnant women, but scientists have yet to identify a specific mechanism by which this memory impairment might occur,” Diane Farrar, NP, of the Bradford Institute for Health Research, United Kingdom, said in a press release. “Indeed, some question whether the reported memory loss exists at all. More research is now needed to identify the neurological effects of pregnancy to help guide future research and provide information for women and those involved in maternity care.”
- Pregnancy, Prenatals, Healthy Baby – What You Need to Know
Pregnancy is such a critical time. A woman’s body is drastically changing and the baby inside is creating new demands on the mother’s body. You want to do everything you can right to make sure that your baby is healthy and has a good start in life.
Some birth defects have been linked to the lack [...] - Low Folate Levels in Pregnancy Tied to ADHD
Low folate levels during pregnancy are associated with higher odds for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in offspring aged 7 to 9, new research has found.
The findings seem to support the long-held belief that folate (folic acid) levels in expectant mothers influence their children’s nervous system development.
The researchers also found that children of mothers with low folate levels had notably smaller head circumference at birth, which may indicate a slower rate of prenatal brain growth.
The study was released online Oct. 28 in advance of publication in an upcoming print issue of the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry.
The results are special cause for concern in relation to low-income families, where a mother’s nutritional health receives a low priority, and women are less likely to take folic acid supplements prior to becoming pregnant.
