engleski

Use of anthropometric characteristics as an additional tool for the assessment of changes in body composition during pregnancy

Introduction: As during pregnancy a change in body composition and an accretion of water occurs differently in women, body weight gain might not be the best and only measure reflecting changes in fat storage. One useful additional tool for estimating body composition and the amount of body fat, besides weight and BMI, are anthropometric measurements, e.g. body circumferences and skinfold thickness measures. Methods and sample: Anthropometric measurements from 332 pregnant women included in the Croatian Islands’ Birth Cohort Study (CRIBS) were taken in each trimester, during three visits to the gynaecology practices and they included measurements of pregnant woman’s height and weight (self-reported and additionally validated by a measurement at the first visit), middle upper arm and abdomen circumference, and skinfold thicknesses of upper-arm triceps and biceps. All anthropometric measurements were carried out following the standard International Biological Program protocol (1981). The sample was then further divided into three pre-pregnancy BMI and weight gain categories and differences between two groups were tested using One-way ANOVA. Results: All findings of upper arm and abdominal circumferences were significantly (p<0.05) associated with pre-pregnancy BMI, in all three measurements. However, only upper arm circumference in the second and third trimester of pregnancy correlated with gestational weight gain. Biceps and triceps skinfold measurements in the first and second trimester were significantly correlated with pre-pregnancy BMI, while no correlation has been detected with gestational weight gain. Both pre- pregnancy BMI and gestational weight gain were significantly associated with changes in weight during pregnancy, as was expected. Conclusion: Anthropometric characteristics can be used as an additional tool for the assessment of changes in body composition during pregnancy. However, they are more informative when associated with maternal pre- pregnancy BMI than with gestational weight gain.

CRIBS, anthropometry, body composition, pregnancy

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