Maternal lipids and leptin concentrations are associated with large-for-gestational-age births: a prospective cohort study

The change in maternal lipid, leptin and adiponectin concentrations during pregnancy and infant birth weight (BW) is still poorly characterized. Thus, the aim of the study was to evaluate the association of maternal lipids, leptin and adiponectin throughout pregnancy with large-for-gestational-age (LGA) births and BW z-score. A prospective cohort of 199 mothers was followed during pregnancy in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The statistical analyses comprised multiple logistic and linear regression. Women delivered 36 LGA and 11 small-for-gestational-age newborns. HDL-c rate of change throughout pregnancy was negatively associated with BW z-score (β = −1.99; p = 0.003) and the delivery of a LGA newborn (OR = 0.02; p = 0.043). Pregnancy baseline concentration of log leptin was positively associated (OR = 3.92; p = 0.025) with LGA births. LDL-c rate of change throughout pregnancy was positively associated with BW z-score (β = 0.31; p = 0.004). Log triglycerides and log adiponectin were not significantly associated with BW z-score or LGA birth. In conclusion, a higher log leptin pregnancy baseline concentration and a lower HDL-c rate of change during pregnancy were associated with higher odds of having a LGA newborn. These maternal biomarkers are important to foetal growth and could be used in prenatal care as an additional strategy to screen women at risk of inadequate BW.