Am J Obstet Gynecol 1998 Nov;179(5):1155-61

Luke B, Min SJ, Gillespie B, Avni M, Witter FR, Newman RB, Mauldin JG,
Salman FA, O'Sullivan MJ
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan Medical
School, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.

OBJECTIVE:
It was our objective to evaluate the association between
early maternal weight gain (before 20 weeks), midpregnancy weight gain (20-28 weeks), and late pregnancy weight gain (28 weeks to birth) with fetal growth and birth weight in twins.

STUDY DESIGN:
This historic cohort study was based on 1564 births of live twins >/=28 weeks' gestation from Baltimore, Maryland, Miami,Florida, Charleston, South Carolina, and Ann Arbor, Michigan. RESULTS: Early fetal growth was affected only by smoking and chorionicity. Factors in models of both mid
and late fetal growth included maternal age, pregravid weight, parity, rates of early pregnancy and midpregnancy maternal weight gain, smoking, and pre-eclampsia.Increasedmidpregnancy fetal growth was associated with early maternal weight gain (10.91 g/wk per pound per week) and midpregnancy maternal weight gain (15.89 g/wk per pound per week). Increased late fetal growth was associated with early maternal weight gain (16.86 g/wk per pound per week) and midpregnancy maternal weight
gain (23.88 g/wk per pound per week). Increased birth weight was associated with early (283.02 g per pound per week), mid (163.58 g per pound per week), and late (69.76 g per pound per week) maternal weight
gains.

CONCLUSIONS:
These findings confirm the importance of early
maternal weight gain in twin fetal growth and birth weight.
PMID: 9822493