Changes in breast morphological parameters, body size and shape, blood serum prolactin and lipids during pregnancy, multiple relationships of these indicators and morphological markers for health risk

Pregnancy is a period of women’s life when women experience tangible changes in their physical condition in terms of the variations in anthropometric indicators, the breast volume, some stages in the metabolic chain, accumulation of the passive body mass. The manifestation of morphological markers can be early prophets of women’s future health problems. The objective of the study is to evaluate the changes in the breast morphological parameters, body size and shape indicators, metabolic alterations during pregnancy and to identify the relationships between these indicators. Over the period of 2013-2015, anthropometric measurements of the pregnant women’s body and breasts subcutaneous fat tissue were performed, the pregnant subjects were surveyed on self-esteem, attitude to their appearance, individual parts of the body during pregnancy. The pregnant women were divided into groups by breast size (small, medium and large), obesity (lean, normal body build and obese), primiparous and multiparous. The study found that the most significant changes in anthropometric indicators during pregnancy were observed in women with small breasts and in lean women. Even in early pregnancy, the pregnant women’s breast volume was almost twice larger than that of young nulliparous women- 1145.9cm3 in pregnant primiparous, 1194,2cm3 - in pregnant nulliparous, 602.4 cm3 - in young nulliparous women. 70% of women remained in the same breast size group at the end of pregnancy, while the breast volume in 30% of women changed considerably and shifted either to the lower size or larger size groups. The study revealed that the women’s self-esteem during pregnancy has changed. During pregnancy, their self-esteem was higher, the attitude to their general appearance and individual body parts was more positive than in young nulliparous women. It can be argued that pregnancy orientates a woman towards maternity rather than priority is given to her appearance. The changes in the passive body mass topography were observed, the subcutaneous fat tissue tended to accumulate in the upper part of the body