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Maternal antibiotic use and vaginal infections in the third trimester of pregnancy and the risk of obesity in preschool children
Author(s) -
Isaevska Elena,
Popovic Maja,
Pizzi Costanza,
Fiano Valentina,
Rusconi Franca,
Merletti Franco,
Richiardi Lorenzo,
Maule Milena
Publication year - 2020
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.12632
Subject(s) - medicine , overweight , pregnancy , obstetrics , body mass index , relative risk , caesarean section , obesity , population , vaginal delivery , confidence interval , gynecology , pediatrics , environmental health , genetics , biology
Summary Background/objectives Several exposures during pregnancy are associated with offspring body mass index (BMI). The objective of this study was to evaluate whether third trimester antibiotic use and vaginal infections are associated with BMI in preschool children. Subjects/methods The study population included singletons from the NINFEA birth cohort with available anthropometric measurements at the age of 4 (3151 born with vaginal and 1111 born with caesarean delivery). Self‐reported use of antibiotics and the presence of vaginal infection in the third trimester were analysed in association with the child's BMI, classified into three categories: thinness, normal and overweight/obesity, using both the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended cut‐offs. Results Maternal vaginal infections in the third trimester of pregnancy were associated with higher relative risk ratios (RRR) for overweight/obesity at age of four in children delivered vaginally: 1.92 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.37 to 2.70). This association appeared stronger for children born to women with pre‐pregnancy BMI >25 kg/m 2 (RRR: 4.78; 95% CI 2.45 to 9.35), and was robust when different obesity cut‐offs were used. The results regarding third trimester antibiotic use in vaginal deliveries were less conclusive (RRRs for overweight/obesity: 1.43 (0.92 to 2.21) and 1.11 (0.57 to 2.20), for the IOTF and WHO cut‐offs, respectively). Third trimester vaginal infections were not associated with BMI in children delivered by caesarean section. Conclusions Maternal third trimester vaginal infections are associated with an increased overweight/obesity risk in children born by vaginal delivery, and especially in children of mothers with pre‐pregnancy overweight/obesity.