Hostname: page-component-7c8c6479df-hgkh8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-03-27T09:03:29.563Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Maternal predictors of neonatal bone size and geometry: the Southampton Women’s Survey

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 November 2009

N. C. Harvey
Affiliation:
MRC Epidemiology Resource Centre, Southampton General Hospital, University of Southampton, School of Medicine, Southampton, UK
M. K. Javaid
Affiliation:
MRC Epidemiology Resource Centre, Southampton General Hospital, University of Southampton, School of Medicine, Southampton, UK
N. K. Arden
Affiliation:
MRC Epidemiology Resource Centre, Southampton General Hospital, University of Southampton, School of Medicine, Southampton, UK
J. R. Poole
Affiliation:
MRC Epidemiology Resource Centre, Southampton General Hospital, University of Southampton, School of Medicine, Southampton, UK
S. R. Crozier
Affiliation:
MRC Epidemiology Resource Centre, Southampton General Hospital, University of Southampton, School of Medicine, Southampton, UK
S. M. Robinson
Affiliation:
MRC Epidemiology Resource Centre, Southampton General Hospital, University of Southampton, School of Medicine, Southampton, UK
H. M. Inskip
Affiliation:
MRC Epidemiology Resource Centre, Southampton General Hospital, University of Southampton, School of Medicine, Southampton, UK
K. M. Godfrey
Affiliation:
MRC Epidemiology Resource Centre, Southampton General Hospital, University of Southampton, School of Medicine, Southampton, UK
E. M. Dennison*
Affiliation:
MRC Epidemiology Resource Centre, Southampton General Hospital, University of Southampton, School of Medicine, Southampton, UK
C. Cooper
Affiliation:
MRC Epidemiology Resource Centre, Southampton General Hospital, University of Southampton, School of Medicine, Southampton, UK

Abstract

Early growth is associated with later risk of osteoporosis and fractures. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the relationships between maternal lifestyle and body composition and neonatal bone size, geometry and density in the offspring. Participants were recruited from the Southampton Women’s Survey, a unique prospective cohort of 12,500 initially non-pregnant women aged 20–34 years, resident in Southampton, UK. These women were studied in detail before and during pregnancy, and the offspring underwent anthropometric and bone mineral assessment (using dual energy-X-ray absorptiometry) at birth. A total of 841 mother–baby pairs were studied (443 boys and 398 girls). The independent predictors of greater neonatal whole body bone area (BA) and bone mineral content included greater maternal birthweight, height, parity, triceps skinfold thickness and lower walking speed in late pregnancy. Maternal smoking was independently associated with lower neonatal bone mass. Neonatal BA adjusted for birth length (a measure of bone width) was predicted positively by maternal parity and late pregnancy triceps skinfold thickness and negatively by late pregnancy walking speed. These findings were similar in both genders. We have confirmed, in a large cohort, previous findings that maternal lifestyle and body build predict neonatal bone mineral; additionally, maternal parity and fat stores and walking speed in late pregnancy were associated with neonatal bone geometry. These findings may suggest novel public health strategies to reduce the burden of osteoporotic fracture in future generations.

Type
Original Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and the International Society for Developmental Origins of Health and Disease 2009

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1.Hernandez, CJ, Beaupre, GS, Carter, DR. A theoretical analysis of the relative influences of peak BMD, age-related bone loss and menopause on the development of osteoporosis. Osteoporos Int. 2003; 14, 843847.Google Scholar
2.Cooper, C, Cawley, M, Bhalla, A, et al. Childhood growth, physical activity, and peak bone mass in women. J Bone Miner Res. 1995; 10, 940947.Google Scholar
3.Dennison, EM, Aihie-Sayer, A, Syddall, H, et al. Birthweight is associated with bone mass in the seventh decade: the Hertfordshire 31–39 Study. Pediatr Res. 2005; 57, 582586.Google Scholar
4.Cooper, C, Eriksson, JG, Forsen, T, et al. Maternal height, childhood growth and risk of hip fracture in later life: a longitudinal study. Osteoporos Int. 2001; 12, 623629.Google Scholar
5.Godfrey, K, Walker-Bone, K, Robinson, S, et al. Neonatal bone mass: influence of parental birthweight, maternal smoking, body composition, and activity during pregnancy. J Bone Miner Res. 2001; 16, 16941703.Google Scholar
6.Jones, G, Riley, M, Dwyer, T. Maternal smoking during pregnancy, growth, and bone mass in prepubertal children. J Bone Miner Res. 2000; 14, 146151.Google Scholar
7.Jones, G, Riley, MD, Dwyer, T. Maternal diet during pregnancy is associated with bone mineral density in children: a longitudinal study. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2000; 54, 749756.Google Scholar
8.Szulc, P, Munoz, F, Duboeuf, F, Marchand, F, Delmas, PD. Low width of tubular bones is associated with increased risk of fragility fracture in elderly men – the MINOS study. Bone. 2006; 38, 595602.Google Scholar
9.Inskip, HM, Godfrey, KM, Robinson, SM, et al. Cohort profile: The Southampton Women’s Survey. Int J Epidemiol. 2006; 35, 4248.Google Scholar
10.Robinson, S, Godfrey, K, Osmond, C, Cox, V, Barker, D. Evaluation of a food frequency questionnaire used to assess nutrient intakes in pregnant women. Eur J Clin Nutr. 1996; 50, 302308.Google Scholar
11.Abrams, SA, Schanler, RJ, Sheng, HP, Evans, HJ, Leblanc, AD, Garza, C. Bone mineral content reflects total body calcium in neonatal miniature piglets. Pediatr Res. 1988; 24, 693695.Google Scholar
12.Ravaglia, G, Forti, P, Maioli, F, et al. Measurement of body fat in healthy elderly men: a comparison of methods. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 1999; 54, M70M76.Google Scholar
13.Abrams, SA, Schanler, RJ, Sheng, HP, et al. Bone mineral content reflects total body calcium in neonatal miniature piglets. Pediatr Res. 1988; 24, 693695.Google Scholar
14.Lin, FJ, Fitzpatrick, JW, Iannotti, CA, et al. Effects of cadmium on trophoblast calcium transport. Placenta. 1997; 18, 341356.Google Scholar
15.Molgaard, C, Thomsen, BL, Michaelsen, KF. Influence of weight, age and puberty on bone size and bone mineral content in healthy children and adolescents. Acta Paediatr. 1998; 87, 494499.Google Scholar
16.Clark, EM, Ness, AR, Bishop, NJ, Tobias, JH. Association between bone mass and fractures in children: a prospective cohort study. J Bone Miner Res. 2006; 21, 14891495.Google Scholar
17.Szulc, P. Bone density, geometry, and fracture in elderly men. Curr Osteoporos Rep. 2006; 4, 5763.Google Scholar
18.Javaid, MK, Lekamwasam, S, Clark, J, et al. Infant growth influences proximal femoral geometry in adulthood. J Bone Miner Res. 2006; 21, 508512.Google Scholar
19.Little, RE. Mother’s and father’s birthweight as predictors of infant birthweight. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol. 1987; 1, 1931.Google Scholar
20.Dennison, EM, Syddall, HE, Sayer, AA, Gilbody, HJ, Cooper, C. Birth weight and weight at 1 year are independent determinants of bone mass in the seventh decade: the Hertfordshire cohort study. Pediatr Res. 2005; 57, 582586.Google Scholar
21.Javaid, MK, Eriksson, JG, Valimaki, MJ, et al. Growth in infancy and childhood predicts hip fracture risk in late adulthood. Bone. 2005; 36(supplement 1), S38 (abstract).Google Scholar
22.Barker, DJ, Eriksson, JG, Forsen, T, Osmond, C. Fetal origins of adult disease: strength of effects and biological basis. Int J Epidemiol. 2002; 31, 12351239.Google Scholar