Accelerated Longitudinal Weight Gain Among Infants With In Utero COVID-19 Exposure
Authors' conclusion
Infants with in utero COVID-19 exposure exhibited lower birth weight and accelerated weight gain in the first year of life, which may be harbingers of downstream cardiometabolic pathology. Further studies are needed to delineate cardiometabolic sequelae among this emerging global population.
Study context
- Population
- Infants with vs without in utero COVID-19 exposure; weight, length and body mass index (BMI) from health records at 0, 2, 6 and 12 months, standardized with WHO growth charts
- Participants
- 149 vs 127
- Exposure
- In utero COVID-19 exposure vs no exposure
- Exposedn = 149
- Controlsn = 127reference
- Outcome
- Longitudinal growth trajectories (weight, length and BMI z-scores)
- Follow-up
- First year of life
Methodological detailsprospectively enrolled perinatal biorepository, adjusted for maternal and infant covariates
- Prospectively enrolled perinatal biorepository
- Adjusted for maternal and infant covariates
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Trajectories of weight, BMI and length z-score
- Exposed vs Controls: P < 0.0001 for weight and BMI
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | Effect size (95% CI) |
|---|---|
| BMI z-score at birthLower with Exposed | −0.35 (−0.66 to −0.03) |
| Gain in BMI z-score · birth to 12 monthsGreater with Exposed | 0.53 (0.06–0.99) |
Mediation by birth weight z-score of the COVID-19 exposure–postnatal growth relationship
- Proportion mediated (estimate ± SE)
- 32 ± 14%, P = .02
Original publication
Accelerated Longitudinal Weight Gain Among Infants With In Utero COVID-19 Exposure. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. Published 29 March 2023. doi:10.
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