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Maternal Ramadan Fasting and Neonatal Health

Journal of Perinatology volume 24, pages 748–750 (2004)Cite this article

Abstract

This retrospective cohort study sought to determine the effects of maternal Ramadan fasting during pregnancy on neonatal birth weight as an important aspect of fetal health. It was carried out among healthy women who were admitted for their neonate delivery at two medical centers in Tehran from January to September 2000. Neonates of 284 mothers with a history of Ramadan fasting during pregnancy were compared with neonates of 255 mothers who did not have a history of fasting during their pregnancies. On univariate analysis, neonatal birth weight of the fasted group was 100 g more than those of the nonfasted group (p=0.009). However, body mass index (BMI) of the fasted mothers was greater than that of the nonfasted mothers. When controlling for maternal BMI on neonatal birth weight, multiple linear regression models showed that neonates of fasted women were 71 g heavier than those of the nonfasted group, which was not statistically significant (p=0.1). We conclude that maternal fasting during Ramadan did not have a significant effect on the neonatal birth weight. Other health effects that we did not observe could have occurred.

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Acknowledgements

This study was carried out with the grant of Baqiyatallah Medical Sciences University. We must thank Mr. Khalkhali for his assistance on statistical analysis and nursery and delivery sections staff of Baqiyatallah and Najmieh hospitals.

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  1. Department of Pediatrics, Baqiyatallah Medical Sciences University, Baqiyatallah Hospital, Tehran, Iran

    Zohreh Kavehmanesh MD & Hassan Abolghasemi MD

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  1. Zohreh Kavehmanesh MD
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  2. Hassan Abolghasemi MD
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Kavehmanesh, Z., Abolghasemi, H. Maternal Ramadan Fasting and Neonatal Health. J Perinatol 24, 748–750 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jp.7211189

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