Babies are being born bigger

It's official. Babies in New South Wales are getting bigger at birth. An in depth analysis of birth weight in babies born in NSW between 1990 and 2005, published in the Medical Journal of Australia, shows a significant increase in babies that weigh 4 kg or more at birth – such that almost 1 in 6 boys and 1 in 10 girls now weigh more than 4 kg.

The investigation examined records of around one million babies born in the 16-year study period.

Postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Sydney at Royal North Shore Hospital, Dr Ruth Hadfield (et al) said some factors had been identified as potential reasons for the increase in birth weight, such as the increasing rate of maternal diabetes.

High birth weight may have important adverse health implications for infants, contrary to the popular idea that big babies are healthy babies.

"For example, there is evidence of a relationship between high birth weight and the increased future risk of asthma, type 1 diabetes and a number of cancers, including infant and childhood leukaemia, and breast, prostate and colon cancer.

"As well as the potential for lifelong health consequences, higher birth weights may also result in injury to the infant and the mother at the time of delivery," Dr Hadfield said.

The research also shows that the reason for increasing birth weight in babies is largely unexplained.

"Although decreasing smoking, increasing maternal age and increasing gestational diabetes account for a portion of the increase, a larger portion of the increase remains unexplained by our data.

"Further studies to ascertain all factors contributing to the increasing birth weight over time, including maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index and weight gain during pregnancy, are warranted."

(Source: University of Sydney: Medical Journal of Australia: April 2009)

Article Date: 2/4/2009

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Article Comments

Comment from: Bloke | 4/2/2009 10:48:22 AM
Hospitals should invest in Ceserian capacity to minimise the failure of relationships between men and women. natural delivery of large children has a detrimental effect on the mothr's relationship future.

Comment from: jen | 4/2/2009 12:26:36 PM
I know my babies were in this category, i believe that genetics had contributed to the size of my babies, my mother had babies taht were also on the bigger than average size. Bloke if your relationship goes haywire following chilbirth I dont believe birth method is the real issue.

Comment from: Bloke | 4/2/2009 1:57:20 PM
Of course the child birth is not the cause or relationship wire going Hay, It is a side effect of the resultant metamorphism of the Mother's "womanhood" anatomy.

Comment from: Babbs | 4/2/2009 9:30:19 PM
My 1st baby was 4.0kg and it was REALLY hard work which nearly resulted in emergency caesar(I had put on 25kg), 2nd bub 9 years later was only 3.2kg (I put on only 11kg) and my 3rd (just after I had turned 40) was 3.5kg (and I had only put on 7kg due to illness). I dont believe that maternal age has anything to do with it....

Comment from: lauz | 4/2/2009 10:52:46 PM
Both my children were on the larger size, the first being 4.499kgs (only put in 9kgs)and the second 4.630kgs (put on 11kgs). No family history of large babies and i had no medical problems. Bloke, you cant blame the childs birth for your relationship breakdown, I had lost of problems with the second childs delivery and my relationship is better than ever!

Comment from: CJ | 4/3/2009 8:52:28 AM
I think what BLOKE is trying to say, without saying it. Is what he believes happens to a womans vay jay jay after pushing out a big bubba. It doesn't happen Bloke, things do go back to normal.

Comment from: ladijane | 4/3/2009 9:06:22 AM
I also believe that babies are getting bigger. I blame all the hormones they pump into our foods now. Chickens Beef even our vegetables are all being modified. Girls are developing much earlier as well. You shouldn't muck around with nature.

Comment from: Jodi | 4/3/2009 10:17:11 AM
10 years ago I gave birth to a 14pound baby.His sister born 15 months earlier was only 8 pound and my third baby was nine pound. I never smoked, drank alcohol or coffee. Maybe this was just pot luck but all my children are healthy and so is my marriage. Aint nothing wrong with my "wonamhood anatomy. Maybe its the Blokes who cant deal with change.....