Testing the Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommendations on maternal reproductive health and associated neonatal characteristics in a transitional, Mediterranean population

Background: High pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and excessive gestational weight gain (GWG) are significant risk factors for maternal and neonatal health. Aim: To assess pre-pregnancy BMI and GWG during pregnancy and their association with different maternal and neonatal characteristics in the transitional Mediterranean population from the Eastern Adriatic islands. Subjects and methods: Two hundred and sixty-two mother–child dyads from the CRoatian Islands’ Birth Cohort Study (CRIBS) were included in the study. Chi-square test, ANOVA, and regression analysis were used to test the association between selected characteristics. Results: In total, 22% of women entered pregnancy as overweight/obese and 46.6% had excessive GWG. Pre-pregnancy overweight and obesity were significantly associated with elevated triglycerides uric acid levels, and decreased HDL cholesterol in pregnancy. Excessive GWG was associated with elevated fibrinogen and lipoprotein A levels. Women with high pre-pregnancy BMI and GWG values were more likely to give birth to babies that were large for gestational age (LGA), additionally confirmed in the multiple logistic regression model. Conclusion: High maternal pre-pregnancy BMI and excessive GWG were both significantly associated with deviated biochemical parameters and neonatal size. More careful monitoring of maternal nutritional status can lead to better pre- and perinatal maternal healthcare.