Funded Projects

(SDAS) Statistical methods and health outcomes

Grantee: UNC Chapel Hill
Principal Investigator: Amy H. Herring
Project Number: R40MC08952
Project Date: 2/1/2008

Final Report

(SDAS) Statistical methods and health outcomes Final Report (PDF)

Age group(s)

• Women/Maternal
• Prenatal
• Perinatal/Infancy (0-12 months)

Abstract

We propose to develop new statistical methods for better assessing the influence of pregnancy weight gain on maternal and child health. These new statistical methods may help refine recommendations about appropriate weight gain during pregnancy. Weight gain in pregnancy has been associated with both maternal and child health outcomes (National Research Council and Institute of Medicine, 2007), and as a modifiable risk factor is an important focus of research. Recommendations for pregnancy weight gain should attempt to ensure adequate weight gain for proper infant growth and development, while minimizing other health risks, such as that of postpartum weight retention and subsequent maternal obesity. Our goals include the following. 1) Develop flexible statistical methods to characterize women's trajectories of weight gain during pregnancy using growth mixture and latent class trajectory models, classifying women according to pattern and amount of weight gain. 2) Extend methods to incorporate predictors of trajectory classifications, in order to determine whether trajectories of weight gain vary occurring to potential predictors of weight gain during pregnancy. 3) Develop flexible semiparametric Bayesian joint model to determine whether trajectories of weight gain are associated with the following maternal and child health outcomes. a.Child: birth weight, intrauterine growth restriction, weight at one year, and at-risk-for-overweight status at one year. b.Maternal: postpartum weight retention at three months and one year, gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and duration of breastfeeding. These goals apply directly to the MCHB strategic issues IV (promoting the health and development of MCH populations) and II (elimination of health disparities).