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Cited by 165Body Composition Measurement TechniquesGestational Diabetes Research and ManagementBirth, Development, and Health

Body composition changes in pregnancy: measurement, predictors and outcomes

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Widen, E M, Gallagher, D·2014·European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
DOI 10.1038/ejcn.2014.40PMC PMC4078736
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Abstract

Prevalence of overweight and obesity has risen in the United States over the past few decades. Concurrent with this rise in obesity has been an increase in pregravid body mass index and gestational weight gain affecting maternal body composition changes in pregnancy. During pregnancy, many of the assumptions inherent in body composition estimation are violated, particularly the hydration of fat-free mass, and available methods are unable to disentangle maternal composition from fetus and supporting tissues; therefore, estimates of maternal body composition during pregnancy are prone to error. Here we review commonly used and available methods for assessing body composition changes in pregnancy, including: (1) anthropometry, (2) total body water, (3) densitometry, (4) imaging, (5) dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, (6) bioelectrical impedance and (7) ultrasound. Several of these methods can measure regional changes in adipose tissue; however, most of these methods provide only whole-body estimates of fat and fat-free mass. Consideration is given to factors that may influence changes in maternal body composition, as well as long-term maternal and offspring outcomes. Finally, we provide recommendations for future research in this area.

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  • BIA offers a non-invasive, safe, and highly reproducible method to estimate body fluid compartments and active tissue components.

    “Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) offers a non-invasive, safe, and highly reproducible method to estimate body fluid compartments and active tissue components [17-19].”

    From Trimester-Specific Bioelectrical Impedance Reference Curves in Physiological Pregnancy: Mapping Maternal Body Composition and Hydration Trajectories (2026) · cites this paper as [18]

    The BIA section (page not provided) describes BIA as non-invasive and says it estimates total body water, from which fat and fat-free mass can be derived. It describes a very-low-amperage current but does not explicitly establish safety or high reproducibility. The same section cautions that BIA estimates are difficult to validate in pregnancy. (LLM, conf=0.87)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Previous obstetric studies utilizing bioelectrical impedance analysis routinely relied on reference equations or vectors calibrated on non-pregnant populations, which inherently fail to account for the unique, fluid-driven, and metabolic dynamics of gestation.

    “While previous obstetric studies had utilized bioelectrical impedance analysis [18,19], they routinely relied on reference equations or vectors calibrated on non-pregnant populations, which inherently fail to account for the unique, fluid-driven, and metabolic dynamics of gestation.”

    From Trimester-Specific Bioelectrical Impedance Reference Curves in Physiological Pregnancy: Mapping Maternal Body Composition and Hydration Trajectories (2026) · cites this paper as [18]

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References 87 · Cited by 165

Research works printed but not linked: 78

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Authors
Widen, E. M., & Gallagher, D.
Affiliations
St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center (US)
Corresponding author
Widen, E M
ORCID
Venue
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2014-03-26
Volume
68
Issue
6
Pages
643-652
ISSN
  • 0954-3007 (ISSN-L)
  • 1476-5640
DOI
10.1038/ejcn.2014.40
PMC
PMC4078736
OpenAlex
W2051821667
Cited by
165
References
87
Citations by year
2026: 19 · 2025: 16 · 2024: 16 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 16 · 2021: 15 · 2020: 16 · 2019: 23 · 2018: 13 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 1
FWCI
0.69
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health (UL1TR000040)
  • National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (UO1-DK-094463, T32DK091227, U01DK094463, P30DK026687, T32DK007559)
  • National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Body Composition Measurement Techniques
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Obstetrics and Gynecology › Gestational Diabetes Research and Management
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Birth, Development, and Health
Keywords
maternal body composition, pregnancy, gestational weight gain, maternal obesity, fat-free mass, adipose tissue, anthropometry, total body water, densitometry, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, bioimpedance, ultrasound, maternal outcomes, offspring outcomes
MeSH terms
Adipose Tissue, Anthropometry, Body Composition, Body Fluid Compartments, Female, Humans, Obesity, Pregnancy, Weight Gain, Absorptiometry, Photon, Body Mass Index, Electric Impedance

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