Pregnant adolescents from Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, and Uruguay were the focus of a study that analyzed the relationship between pre-pregnancy BMI, gestational weight gain, and the birth weight of their babies.
The results show that pre-pregnancy overweight and excessive weight gain are associated with newborns who are large for gestational age. Conversely, underweight and insufficient weight gain increase the risk of low birth weight.
The study highlights the importance of using specific criteria for adolescents when assessing BMI and making recommendations about weight gain during pregnancy.