Associations between Maternal and Fetal Levels of Total Adiponectin, High Molecular Weight Adiponectin, Selected Somatomedins, and Birth Weight of Infants of Smoking and Non-Smoking Mothers

The association between macrosomia and glucose, lipids and hormones levels in maternal and cord serum: a case-control study

BACKGROUND

The formation of macrosomia is associated with excessive nutrition and/or unable to regulate effectively. This case-control study aims to explore the relationship between macrosomia and glucose, lipids and hormones levels in maternal and cord serum.

METHODS

In the case-control study, 78 pairs of mothers and newborns were recruited who received care at one hospital of Hebei, China between 2016 and 2019. According to the birth weight (BW) of newborns, participants were divided into macrosomia group (BW ≥ 4000 g, n = 39) and control group (BW between 2500 g and 3999 g, n = 39). Maternal vein blood and cord vein blood were collected and assayed. All data were compared between the two groups. Unconditional logistics regression analysis was used to test the relationship between macrosomia and glucose, lipids and hormones in maternal and cord serum.

RESULTS

In maternal and cord serum, the levels of leptin, leptin/adiponectin ratio (LAR), glucose and triglyceride (TG) in macrosomia group were higher than those in control group, and the levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were lower. The percentage of maternal glucose and lipids transfer to cord blood did not differ between the two groups. High levels of TG in maternal serum were positively correlated with macrosomia, and high levels of LAR, TG and glucose in cord serum were positively correlated with macrosomia.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, the results of the current study, suggest that the nutrients and metabolism-related hormones in maternal and umbilical cord are closely related to macrosomia. During pregnancy, the nutritional status of pregnant women should be paid attention to and to obtain a good birth outcome.

Hormonal Determinants of Growth and Weight Gain in the Human Fetus and Preterm Infant

The factors controlling linear growth and weight gain in the human fetus and newborn infant are poorly understood. We review here the changes in linear growth, weight gain, lean body mass, and fat mass during mid- and late gestation and the early postnatal period in the context of changes in the secretion and action of maternal, placental, fetal, and neonatal hormones, growth factors, and adipocytokines. We assess the effects of hormonal determinants on placental nutrient delivery and the impact of preterm delivery on hormone expression and postnatal growth and metabolic function. We then discuss the effects of various maternal disorders and nutritional and pharmacologic interventions on fetal and perinatal hormone and growth factor production, growth, and fat deposition and consider important unresolved questions in the field.

Association between urine cobalt and prevalence of kidney stones in Americans aged ≥ 20 years old

To determine whether urine cobalt (Co) is associated with the prevalence of kidney stones, we conducted a cross-sectional study of participants (≥ 20 years) involved in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 2007 and 2018. The urine Co level was divided into four groups: 0.02-0.22, 0.22-0.36, 0.36-0.58, and 0.58-37.40 μg/L. The independent correlation between urine Co and prevalence of kidney stones was determined by logistic regression analyses. A total of 10,744 participants aged over 20 years that were not pregnant were eligible. Among them, 1041 participants reported ever having developed kidney stones. Patients with kidney stones developed significantly higher urine Co than the non-stone participants. The kidney stone patients were more likely to have been smoking ≥ 100 cigarettes in life; have hypertension, diabetes, and cancer; and engage in heavy activity. Multivariate logistic regression indicated a significantly positive relationship between the urine Co level and occurrence of kidney stones (OR 1.059, 95% CI 1.018-1.102, P = 0.00430). Moreover, the outcome remained unchanged after some sophisticated factors were adjusted (OR 1.059, 95% CI 1.001-1.120, P = 0.04635), and kidney stones were significantly related to a higher level of Co (OR (95% CI) = 0.22-0.36 μg/L: 1.111 (0.869, 1.421); 0.36-0.58 μg/L: 1.392 (1.095, 1.770); 0.58-37.40 μg/L: 1.712 (1.351, 2.170), and P for trend < 0.00001). So, urine Co concentration is positively associated with the prevalence of kidney stones. However, more high-quality prospective studies are needed to elucidate the causal correlation between Co level and kidney stones.

Association between maternal iron supplementation and newborn birth weight: a quantile regression analysis

Objective

Our study aimed to explore the association between maternal iron supplementation and newborn birth weight (BW) in Shaanxi Province using quantile regression (QR).

Method

The data used in this study were derived from a large cross-sectional survey of a population in Shaanxi Province, Northwest China. A total of 28,209 women and their infants were selected using a stratified multistage random sampling method. The effect of iron supplementation on the newborn BW was assessed by a multiple linear regression model and QR.

Results

A total of 5.15% of the women took iron supplements during pregnancy. Multiple linear regression showed that the iron supplementation during pregnancy had positive effects on the BW, with an average increase of 43.07 g (β = 43.07, t = 3.55, and p < 0.001). The QR showed that the iron supplementation during pregnancy was associated with an increased newborn BW from very low to higher percentiles (quantiles: 0 ~ 0.40), with the β ranging from 136.51 to 43.86. As the percentiles of the BW increased, the neonatal BW gain gradually declined in the iron supplementation group compared with the group that did not receive iron supplementation (quantiles: 0 ~ 0.40, with the β ranging from 136.51 to 43.86). Iron supplementation was more effective among women who suffered from anemia during pregnancy (β = 45.84, t = 2.05, and p = 0.04; quantiles: 0 ~ 0.15, 0.30, 0.80, with β ranging from 150.00 to 39.29) than it was in any other group (β = 38.18, t = 2.62, and p = 0.009; quantiles: 0 ~ 0.15, with β ranging from 133.33 to 28.32).

Conclusions

Iron supplementation during pregnancy is associated with an increased newborn BW, and the effect was more obvious in the newborns with the lower BW and newborns whose mothers suffered from anemia during pregnancy.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13052-021-01084-7.

Effects of Tobacco Consumption and Anxiety or Depression during Pregnancy on Maternal and Neonatal Health

This study analyzed the possible interaction effects between tobacco consumption and anxiety or depression during pregnancy on maternal and neonatal health. We recruited a sample of 807 pregnant Spanish women from public healthcare services. Women completed a questionnaire on sociodemographic variables, health status and tobacco consumption (continuous, quitting or no consumption) in the first and third trimester of pregnancy and at 2 months postpartum, and self-reported measures of anxiety and depression in the first trimester. Abstinence of tobacco consumption was verified through biochemical measurements. Interaction effects between tobacco consumption and anxiety were found for delivery (p < 0.001), neonatal health complications (p = 0.026) and gestational age at birth (p = 0.029). Interaction effects between tobacco consumption and depression were found for pregnancy (p = 0.032), delivery complications (p < 0.001) and weeks of gestation at birth (p = 0.031). This study suggests that there are different kinds of interaction effects between tobacco consumption and anxiety or depression. Smokers with high anxiety presented more delivery complications compared to quitters and non-smokers with high anxiety. There is a cumulative effect of anxiety on the effects of tobacco consumption on maternal health. The results highlighted the beneficial impact of quitting smoking during pregnancy to reduce the risk of suffering anxiety, depression and health complications.