TIMING OF PRENATAL STARVATION IN WOMEN AND BIRTH-WEIGHT IN THEIR FIRST AND 2ND BORN OFFSPRING - THE DUTCH FAMINE BIRTH COHORT STUDY

Objectives: To examine the long-term effects of severe in utero matern al undernutrition on offspring birth weight. Study design: Birth weigh ts were analyzed of 575 first born and 454 second born offspring of 68 3 women born in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, at the time of a severe fa mine at the end of World War II, In utero maternal undernutrition was defined separately for each pregnancy trimester by an average daily nu trition ration (supplied to the grandmother) of less than 1000 calorie s in that trimester of pregnancy, Results: Compared to controls, birth weights of first born infants of women prenatally exposed in the firs t trimester of pregnancy were 73 g heavier (95% Cl: -64, 210), and bir th weights of second born infants were 96 g lighter (95% Cl: -249, 58) , Birth weights of infants of women exposed in the second or third tri mester were much closer to controls. Conclusions: A substantial (200 g or more) impact of severe in utero maternal undernutrition on OBW can be ruled out. There may, however, be parity specific, moderate (50-10 0 g) effects of maternal undernutrition early in pregnancy on OBW. Thi s suggestion requires confirmation in other populations.