PURPOSE To study the association between maternal smoking during pregnancy and low birth weight (LBW), small-for-gestational-age birth weight (SGA) and preterm birth, and to quantify the population-attributable fractions for these outcomes in Switzerland. METHODS Data were gathered for all births in the Canton of Vaud (Switzerland) over a twelvemonth period in 1993-1994. LBW was defined as bi...

Growth restriction in utero during a period that is critical for normal growth of the brain, has previously been associated with deviations in cognitive abilities and brain anatomical and functional changes. We measured magnetoencephalography (MEG) in 4- to 7-year-old children to test if children born small for gestational age (SGA) show deviations in resting-state brain oscillatory activity. C...

BACKGROUND The intrauterine environment may have a lifelong impact on individuals' health. However, results on the relationship between birth size and gonadal function are conflicting, and it remains unknown whether reproductive function is altered in adults born small for gestational age (SGA). The aim of the present study was to compare the fertility of young adults from the general populatio...

BACKGROUND Preeclampsia is associated with low birth weight, both because of increased risks of preterm and of small-for-gestational-age (SGA) births. Low birth weight is associated with accelerated childhood height gain and cardiovascular diseases later in life. The aim was to investigate if prenatal exposure to preeclampsia is associated with accelerated childhood height gain, also after adju...

BACKGROUND Fullterm small-for-gestational-age children (SGAs) are known for their ability to catch up on growth. Nevertheless, increased risk of growth restriction remains. Evidence on preterm SGA children's growth is lacking. OBJECTIVE To determine absolute gains in height and weight, relative growth, and growth restriction in preterm SGAs from 0 to 4 years and how prematurity and SGA status...

BACKGROUND The relationship between maternal and placental hemodynamic disorders and fetal growth is well known, but few studies have evaluated a link between maternal extracellular water (EW) and newborn birth weight. OBJECTIVE To identify the characteristics of body composition (BC) of women with small for gestational age (SGA) newborns, and to determine the relationship between maternal EW...

BACKGROUND Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is prevalent in many countries where small-for-gestational age (SGA) and premature delivery are also common. However, the associations between maternal HIV, preterm delivery and SGA infants remain unclear. We estimate the prevalence of SGA and preterm (<37 weeks) births, their associations with antenatal maternal HIV infection and their contribution...