Maternal nutrition

Dietary protein in pregnancy: effect on anthropometric indices of the newborn infant

The urinary urea nitrogen/creatinine nitrogen ratio (UN/CN), an objective index of the level of dietary protein, was measured serially throughout pregnancy in 870 women. The mean UN/CN ratio was calculated for each subject. Subjects were grouped by mean UN/CN ratios. Those in the lowest decile (mean protein intake, 0.7 gm/kg/day) in comparison with those in the highest decile (mean protein intake, 1.5 gm/kg/day) were of lower socioeconomic class, weighed more before pregnancy, and gained less during pregnancy. However, birth weight and other anthropometric indices of the newborn infant were not related to the level of dietary protein during pregnancy.

Anthropometric and biochemical changes during pregnancy in Asian and European mothers having well grown babies

At this hospital, about a third of all mothers are Asian. Although generally they have smaller and lighter babies, many Asian mothers achieve similar standards of intrauterine growth to the European mother. This paper describes the nutritional status of Asian and European mothers having well grown babies. Twenty eight European and 11 Asian mothers, who had a normal past obstetric history and a normal present pregnancy resulting in a well grown baby, were studied throughout pregnancy. At each visit, weight, skinfold thickness, and mid-upper arm circumference were measured and biochemical measurements of nutritional status were performed (serum albumin, transferrin and alkaline ribonuclease, plasma amino acids and nitrogen partition of urine). Asian mothers were fatter than European mothers at booking and put on more fat during the second trimester. At the same time, the biochemical tests suggested that the Asian mothers had a higher plane of nutrition. It seems that if the Asian mothers are well nourished in the second trimester, they can achieve a standard of intrauterine growth comparable to the Europeans.