Total body water in pregnancy: assessment by using bioelectrical impedance
Abstract
Determinations of total body water (TBW) calculated from deuterium dilution spaces and bioelectrical-impedance measurements were made serially in a group of 15 women before, during, and after pregnancy. Similar measurements were made once in a group of 50 nonpregnant women and intermittently in another group of 10 women during pregnancy and postpartum. TBW increased significantly during pregnancy, then decreased postpartum. Estimates of TBW in pregnancy and postpartum calculated with models derived from nonpregnant and pregnant women were similar to measured values. Changes in reactance and resistance explained more of the variance in predicting changes in TBW than did body weight, abdominal circumference, or hematocrit (50-75% vs 4-50%, respectively). Changes in TBW estimated with the nonpregnancy impedance model were significantly different than either the measured changes or changes predicted with the pregnancy impedance model. These findings indicate that the impedance method is a practical and valid method for determining longitudinal changes in TBW.
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Standard BIA equations and reference vectors are traditionally calibrated on non-pregnant populations, failing to account for the unique, fluid-driven impedance shifts that characterize normal gestation.
“Standard BIA equations and reference vectors are traditionally calibrated on non-pregnant populations, failing to account for the unique, fluid-driven impedance shifts that characterize normal gestation [19-23].”
From Trimester-Specific Bioelectrical Impedance Reference Curves in Physiological Pregnancy: Mapping Maternal Body Composition and Hydration Trajectories (2026) · cites this paper as [21]
The trajectories observed in this large cohort aligned with macro-physiological adaptations well-documented in classic obstetric literature, such as those pioneered by Hytten and Lukaski, which track progressive hemodilution and maternal-fetal tissue expansion.
“The trajectories observed in this large cohort aligned with the macro-physiological adaptations that are well-documented in classic obstetric literature, such as those pioneered by Hytten [1] and Lukaski [21], which track progressive hemodilution and maternal-fetal tissue expansion.”
From Trimester-Specific Bioelectrical Impedance Reference Curves in Physiological Pregnancy: Mapping Maternal Body Composition and Hydration Trajectories (2026) · cites this paper as [21]
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Estimation of total body water by bioelectrical impedance analysis in blacks
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“demonstrated the validity of this approach to estimate TBW in adults and children ( 11-16 ).”
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Abduljalil, K., Furness, P., Johnson, T. N., Rostami-Hodjegan, A., & Soltani, H. (2012) · Clinical Pharmacokinetics · doi:10.2165/11597440-000000000-00000 · Cited by 371 · see citing works
Why bioelectrical impedance analysis should be used for estimating adiposity.
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Di Martino, D. D., Sabattini, E., Viscioni, L., Cerri, S., Radaelli, T., Ornaghi, S., Belfiore, J., Stampalija, T., Nuredini, R., Privitera, G., et al. (2026) · Nutrients · doi:10.3390/nu18203341
- Authors
- Lukaski, H., Siders, W., Nielsen, E., & Hall, C.
- Affiliations
- Agricultural Research Service (US)
- Corresponding author
- Lukaski, HC
- Venue
- The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 1994-03
- Volume
- 59
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 578-585
- ISSN
- 0002-9165 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2163089856
- Cited by
- 124
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 15 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 7
- FWCI
- 0.90
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Body Composition Measurement Techniques
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Obstetrics and Gynecology › Pregnancy and preeclampsia studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Pregnancy-related medical research
- Keywords
- total body water, pregnancy, postpartum period, bioimpedance, deuterium dilution, reactance, impedance model, fluid balance
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Body Water, Body Weight, Female, Hematocrit, Humans, Pregnancy, Radioisotope Dilution Technique, Reference Values, Sodium, Body Mass Index, Deuterium Oxide, Postpartum Period
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