A WHO COLLABORATIVE STUDY OF MATERNAL ANTHROPOMETRY AND PREGNANCY OUTCOMES (REPRINTED FROM NTERNATIONAL-JOURNAL-OF-GYNECOLOGY-AND-OBSTETRICS, VOL 53, PG 219-233, 1996)

Objectives: To evaluate to what degree anthropometric measurements are useful and efficient in predicting maternal and fetal outcomes in dif ferent country settings and to develop appropriate reference curves fo r maternal weight gain. Methods: A meta-analysis of 25 data sets provi ding information on over 111000 births worldwide. Results: Attained we ight indicators from pre-pregnancy (Pp) through 9 lunar months demonst rated high odds ratios (O.R.) for both low birth weight (LBW) and intr a-uterine growth retardation (IUGR). The strongest effect size (O.R.=4 .0) was provided by attained weight at 7 lunar months for IUGR, when a pplied to women of below average pre-pregnancy weight. The study indic ators showed only minor and inconsistent O.R. for preterm birth (PTB). The ability of study indicators to predict the three maternal outcome s was much weaker. Maternal height as a predictor of assisted delivery showed the highest positive O.R. (1.6), but did not meet the screenin g criteria. Conclusions: A single measurement of attained weight at 5 or 7 lunar months (16-20 or 24-28 weeks) is the most practical screeni ng instrument for LBW and IUGR in most primary health care settings an d provides warning of the need for intervention. The operational value of these findings should be demonstrated through their successful lar ge-scale application in service settings.