Intrauterine growth: correlations of maternal nutritional status and rate of gestational weight gain.

The influence of increasing pregravid weight and gestational rate of gain on birthweight, length, head circumference and complications was investigated. Each gravida was categorized by height and pregravid weight as underweight, normal, or obese. Birthweights, lengths, and head circumferences were evaluated as well as maternal and infant complications. Within each pregravid category and each rate gain group there was an increase in mean birthweight, length, and head circumference with advancing gain and pregravid weight. The incidence of small for gestational age (SGA) infants decreased and large for gestational age (LGA) infants increased with higher gain and pregravid weight. The incidence of antepartum anemia decreased with higher pregravid weight and gain (P less than 0.02). Higher pregravid weight and rate of gestational gain may help insure optimal intrauterine growth.