Birth weight: nature or nurture?

https://doi.org/10.1016/0378-3782(95)01637-IGet rights and content

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the relative role of environmental and genetic factors in the determination of birth weight following ovum donation. Methods: Data from 62 cases of ovum donation were used to examine the relative influence of donor and recipient on birth weight. Results: The only discernible factors that significantly influenced birth weight were gestational age and recipient's weight. Donor weight, her own birth weight, and the birth weight of the donor's own children were not significantly correlated with the birth weight of the child following ovum donation. Conclusions: It is concluded that the environment provided by the human mother is more important than her genetic contribution to birth weight.

References (22)

  • L.F. Saugstad

    Birth weights in children with phenylketonuria and in their siblings

    Lancet

    (1972)
  • P.D. Gluckman et al.

    Regulation of fetal growth

  • M.A. Williams et al.

    Subfertility and the risk of low birth weight

    Fertil. Steril.

    (1991)
  • D.A. Leon

    Influence of birth weight on differences in infant mortality by social class and legitimacy

    Br. Med. J.

    (1991)
  • D.J.P. Barker et al.

    Fetal and placental size and risk of hypertension in adult life

    Br. Med. J.

    (1990)
  • D.J.P. Barker et al.

    Relation of birth weight and childhood respiratory infection to adult lung function and death from chronic obstructive airways disease

    Br. Med. J.

    (1991)
  • D.J.P. Barker et al.

    The relation of small head circumference and thinness at birth to death from cardiovascular disease in adult life

    Br. Med. J.

    (1993)
  • P.E. Polani

    Chromosomal and other genetic influences on birth weight variation

  • K. Niswander et al.

    Physical characteristics of the gravida and their association with birth weight and perinatal death

    Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol.

    (1974)
  • A. Walton et al.

    The maternal effects on growth and conformation in Shire horse-Shetland pony crosses

  • H.V. Meredith

    Body size of contemporary youth in different parts of the world

    Monogr. Soc. Res. Child Dev.

    (1969)
  • Cited by (164)

    • Assessment of fetal growth in twins: Which method to use?

      2022, Best Practice and Research: Clinical Obstetrics and Gynaecology
      Citation Excerpt :

      Maternal height acts as a proxy for uterine capacity [14]. An argument could be made that maternal height is also driven by genetic factors, and that height may be a mediator effect of genetic influence [14]. However, studies investigating pregnancies conceived using oocyte donation have shown that fetal weight is more closely associated with the height and constitution of the pregnancy carrier rather than the donor [14].

    • Pregnancy and birth outcomes: A role for environment-epigenome interactions

      2020, Environmental Epigenetics in Toxicology and Public Health
    • Nutrition and pregnancy outcomes

      2018, Encyclopedia of Reproduction
    View all citing articles on Scopus
    View full text