MATERNAL FASTING EFFECT ON NEONATAL HEALTH

MATERNAL FASTING EFFECT ON NEONATAL HEALTH

Kavehmanesh Z. Md

Department of Pediatrics- Pediatric Gastroenterology, Baqiyatallah Medical Sciences University-Tehran-Iran

Introduction: Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset during 9

lunar month (Ramadan). It is optional for pregnant women to fast, but there are many Muslim women who do choose to fast during Ramadan.

Methods and materials: This historical cohort study was conducted among healthy women without any significant illnesses or drug consumption during their pregnancies that gave birth at two hospitals in Tehran. The fasted group were those with history of at least 10 days of Ramadan fasting and non-fasted group were those who did not have any Ramadan fasting.

Results: A total number of 539 healthy pregnant women enrolled in this study.

The fasted group numbered 284 and non-fasted group255. Fasted group had history of 10-60(mean: 24 days of fasting. None of the mothers in either group had a history of smoking during pregnancy.

Table1. Maternal weight, height and BMI of two groups of mothers Variable Maternal Fasting State Mean Standard

Deviation

T-test(sig 2-tailed) Fasted 65.81 12.18

Wt(before

ppregnancy Non-fasted 31.56 11.16

>0.001

Fasted 77.81 12.24

Wt( at time

of delivery) Non-fasted 74.15 11.26

.707

Fasted 159.20 6.55

Ht

Non-fasted 159.41 5.15

>0.001

Fasted 25.93 4.39

BMI

Non-fasted 24.19 3.94

>0.001

Table2.Premature birth in two groups of mothers Neonatal Maturity

Variable

Term(%) Preterm(%)

Total Fasted 276(97.2) 8(2.8) 284

210

MATERNAL FASTING EFFECT ON NEONATAL HEALTH 211 N

Non- fasted

245(96.1) 10(3.9) 255 Total 521(96.7) 18(3.3) 539

Table 3.Neonatal birth weight and height of two groups of mothers Variable Maternal

Fasting State

Mean Standard Deviation

T-test(sig 2-tailed)

Fasted 3265 444

Birth wt(g)

Non-fasted 3165 440 .009

Fasted 49 1.9

Birth Ht(cm)

Non-fasted 49 1.8

1

Table 4.Regression coefficient of two groups of mothers

Variable R

coefficient(ȕ)

SE(ȕ) T- value

p-value N

Non-fasted 0.00 - - -

Maternal

Fasting State Fasted 71.7 43.4 1.65 0.1

<19.8 0.00 - - -

19.8-25.9 110.6 75.2 1.47 0.14 26-28.9 164.3 83.9 1.96 0.05 Maternal BMI

>29 203.9 88.7 2.3 0.02

Constant 2959.8 146.1 20.3 0.0001

Conclusion: Neonates of fasted group of mothers were 100 grams heavier than those of non-fasted group, which was significant (p=0.009), but maturity and birth height did not differ significantly (P values were respectively 0.4 and 1).

To avoid effect of confounding variables such as maternal BMI on neonatal

birth weight we used multiple linear regression model which showed neonates

of fasted group were 71 grams heavier which was not significant.