Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Mitku, Aweke A
• Zewotir, Temesgen
• North, Delia
• Jeena, Prakash
• Naidoo, Rajen N
• Spradley, Frank T.

Titel

Effects of prenatal exposure factors on birth outcomes through mediation of favorable fetal growth conditions using structural equation modeling

Ist Teil von

• PloS one, 2021-04, Vol.16 (4), p.e0249664

Ort / Verlag

United States: Public Library of Science

Erscheinungsjahr

2021

Link zum Volltext

Quelle

Free E-Journal (出版社公開部分のみ）

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Birth weight, birth length, and gestational age are major indicators of newborn health. Several prenatal exposure factors influence the fetal environment. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of prenatal exposure factors, including socio-demographic, behavioural, dietary, physical activity, clinical and environmental on birth outcomes through the mediation of Favourable Fetal Growth Conditions (FFGC). Data was obtained from six hundred and fifty-six Mother and Child in the Environment birth cohort study in Durban, South Africa from 2013 to 2017. We adopted structural equation models which evaluate the direct and indirect effects by allowing multiple simultaneous equations to incorporate confounding and mediation. A significant direct and indirect effect of FFGC on newborn weight, length, and gestational age was seen. Gestational weight gain and maternal body mass index in the first trimester exerted a mediation effect between maternal behavioural risk factors and FFGC. Similarly, the level of physical activity during pregnancy was associated with decreased gestational weight gain. The effects of maternal characteristics on newborn weight, length, and gestational age were largely indirect, operating through FFGC as a latent variable. Gestational weight gain and maternal pre-gestational BMI were observed to mediate the association between prenatal behavioural risk factors and favourable fetal growth conditions. Retrospectively registered from 01 March 2013.