Do maternal energy reserves limit fetal growth?

Birth weight and maternal anthropometric measurements were made in a sample of 2456 deliveries in a poor, African peri-urban community. Maternal anthropometry was similar to that observed in affluent societies, whereas birth weight was significantly lower, even when adjusted for maternal weight and parity. Moreover, multiple stepwise regression showed that for a given maternal weight, fatter women had smaller babies. This is at odds with the classical hypothesis that a maternal energy deficit limits fetal growth.