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Foetal fractional thigh volume: an early 3D ultrasound marker of neonatal adiposity
Author(s) -
Roelants J. A.,
Vermeulen M. J.,
Koning I. V.,
Groenenberg I. A. L.,
Willemsen S. P.,
HokkenKoelega A. C. S.,
Joosten K. F. M.,
Reiss I. K. M.,
SteegersTheunissen R. P. M.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
pediatric obesity
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.226
H-Index - 69
eISSN - 2047-6310
pISSN - 2047-6302
DOI - 10.1111/ijpo.12231
Subject(s) - medicine , interquartile range , gestation , body mass index , obstetrics , fetus , obesity , pregnancy , genetics , biology
Summary Background The predisposition for obesity is suggested to originate in the prenatal period. Prenatal markers are needed to identify foetuses at risk for neonatal adiposity, as early marker of childhood obesity. Objective The aim of this study is to assess the association between foetal fractional thigh volume (TVol) and neonatal percentage fat mass from mid‐gestation onward. Methods In this perinatal cohort study, singleton pregnancies with term born infants were included. Foetal TVol was measured on three‐dimensional ultrasound scans (3D US) obtained at 22, 26 and 32 weeks of gestation. Neonatal body composition measurement (percentage body fat (%BF)) was planned between 42 +0 and 42 +6 ‐week postmenstrual age. Cross‐sectional and longitudinal linear regression analyses were performed. Results Seventy‐nine mother–child pairs were included. Median (interquartile range) TVol increased from 7.6 (7.1; 8.5) cm 3 at 22 weeks to 36.5 (33.8; 40.9) cm 3 at 32 weeks. Median neonatal %BF was 14.3% (11.7; 17.0). TVol at 22 weeks ( β = −1.58, 95% CI −2.45; −0.70, explained variance 31%) was negatively associated with %BF, but no associations were found at 26 and 32 weeks of gestation. TVol growth between 22 and 32 weeks of gestation (explained variance 18%) was also statistically significantly negatively associated with %BF. Conclusions Foetal TVol is a promising 3D US marker for prediction of neonatal adiposity from mid‐gestation onward.