Maternal high BMI: Sex-dimorphic alterations in maternal and offspring stress indices.

ABSTRACT: Maternal body mass index (BMI) influences pregnancy and birth outcomes along with child metabolic and neurodevelopmental health and fetal sex may be a moderating factor in these effects. Alternations in autonomic nervous system (ANS) functioning, identified in heart rate (HR) measurements, could present early markers of these prenatal programming effects in both the mother and the developing fetus. This study examines the associations between pre-pregnancy BMI and maternal and fetal ANS functioning and infant postnatal behavioral outcomes stratified by fetal sex. Pregnant women (N=176) were recruited at gestational week (GW) T1: 12-22 and categorized into Normal (BMI< 25) or High BMI (BMI > 25). Women attended laboratory sessions at T2: GW 23-28, and T3: GW 34-36 to assess maternal and fet

SUBMITTER: Abuaish S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11568910 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature