The study investigated the relationship between maternal weight and child respiratory problems through a literature review of 15 research articles. The results demonstrated that high prepregnancy weight, pregnancy weight, and weight gain during pregnancy are positively associated with poor child respiratory outcomes like wheezing, asthma, and bronchitis. Maternal overweight or obesity during pregnancy, whether before or during pregnancy, was linked to increased risk of poor respiratory outcomes in offspring. Further research is needed to better understand this relationship and inform recommendations for pregnant women.

2. Lena Lewis1, Suzanne Baker1, PhD, MPH*
Department of Public Health, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Relationship Between Maternal
Weight and Child Respiratory
Problems

3. The effects of maternal overweight or obesity during pregnancy on the health of the
mother have been studied extensively but the effects on the child are widely unknown. A
potential consequence that gestational weight gain, overweight, or obesity will have on
child health is poor respiratory outcomes. In this study, the extent of maternal overweight
or obesity during pregnancy as a potential risk factor for poor child respiratory outcomes
was investigated through a literature review of 15 research articles. It was hypothesized
that, as maternal weight increases, the likelihood of the offspring developing poor
respiratory outcomes will also increase. The results demonstrate that high prepregnancy
weight, pregnancy weight, and weight gain during pregnancy is positively associated with
poor child respiratory outcomes including child wheeze, child asthma, and child bronchitis.
These results remained consistent across all articles and some suggested that there is a
threshold at which maternal weight gain becomes a risk factor for poor child respiratory
outcomes. Child asthma was the most common child respiratory outcome that was
investigated, which merits the need for further research into other types of child
respiratory conditions. The findings suggest the need for the update of recommendations
to pregnant women with regards to how weight gain during pregnancy will affect the
health of their child. These updates should be geared directly towards pregnant women as
well as healthcare professionals that provide care to pregnant women.
Abstract

4. Introduction
• Maternal health is linked to child health.
• Gestational overweight/obesity linked to obesity, cardiac issues, and high birth weight of
child.
• Effects of maternal weight on child respiratory outcomes largely unknown.
• 48% of women gain more weight than recommended during pregnancy.
• 23.7% of women are overweight prior to pregnancy.
• 20.7% of women are obese prior to pregnancy.
• Indicators:
• GWG: gestational weight gain.
• Prepregnancy weight
• Pregnancy weight
• Most common respiratory outcomes:
• Asthma
• Wheeze
As maternal weight increases, the likelihood of the offspring
developing poor respiratory outcomes will also increase.

5. Methodology/Experimental
• Literature review.
• Databases consulted: PubMed, JAMA Network, Wiley Online Library, European Research
Journal, Proquest, ScienceDirect, Springer Link, NCBI, and CDC.
• Search terms: gestational weight gain, child respiratory, child lungs, child asthma, child
wheeze maternal overweight, and maternal obesity. Search terms were later expanded.
• Exclusion criteria: multiple birth pregnancy, fetal lung status, gestational illnesses as
mediating factors, and articles published prior to 2005.
• Total of 15 articles included in the review.

6. Results and Discussion
• Positive association between maternal overweight/obesity and poor child respiratory
outcomes.
• Child asthma and child wheeze were the outcomes most investigated.
• Prepregnancy weight: One study only found an association if mother also had respiratory
illness. Another found that association was only significant if effect of GWG also present.
• GWG: Two studies found no association between GWG and child respiratory illness.
• Pregnancy weight: Two studies found that no association existed if the mother was
overweight but did exist if the mother was obese.
• Suggests that there is a point at which maternal weight becomes dangerous for the
health of the child.
* One study investigated both asthma and wheeze and was therefore included in both of the sections above.

7. Results and Discussion

8. Conclusions and Limitations
• Limitations:
• Exclusion of research prior to 2005.
• Exclusion of multiple birth pregnancies.
• Exclusion of studies that looked at child obesity or illnesses as a mediating factor.
• Inclusion of studies with mothers who had preexisting conditions.
• Association between overweight or obesity during pregnancy, whether it presents prior to
pregnancy or during pregnancy, and poor child respiratory outcomes.
• Supports hypothesis.
• Need for additional research.
• Investigate additional respiratory outcomes.
• Investigate weight gain during specific trimester.
• Public health professionals responsible for educating healthcare professionals and general
public.
• General public can be contacted through billboards, commercials, and social media.

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