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Nutrition and Health (including climate and ecological aspects)

Bioelectrical Impedance Vector Analysis (BIVA) for the monitoring of body composition in pregnancy

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 76, pages 604–609 (2022)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Background/Objectives

During pregnancy, body composition alterations can be considered as markers of complications and in this context, a non-invasive and low-cost method such as Bioelectrical Impedance Vector Analysis (BIVA), can be employed to monitor such changes. This study aimed at identifying body compartments trend during physiological pregnancy.

Subjects/Methods

Classic and specific BIVA variables have been measured in a sample of 37 pregnant women approximately every 4 weeks of gestation and once postpartum. Researchers used both longitudinal and cross-sectional approach. The first case included data of women from the 11th to the 15th week along with data from the 28th to the 32nd week of gestation. The cross-sectional approach regarded two more specific moments (11th–12th weeks and 30th–31st weeks) and data within two months postpartum

Results

The longitudinal approach showed a significant decrease in classic BIVA variables (R/H, Xc/H, Z/H p < 0.001) and a shortening of the vector, pointing out that TBW and hydration increased significantly. Specific vector length increased significantly, indicating a physiological gain of FM% (p < 0.01). The cross-sectional approach showed lower values of R/H, Xc/H, Z/H between 12th–13th and 30th–31st weeks (p < 0.01), while in the postpartum period values tended to those registered at the beginning of pregnancy. No changes have been found for the phase angle in both approaches, indicating that ECW/ICW ratio remained constant

Conclusions

Among physiological pregnancies, bioelectric values showed a coherent trend and these results represent a first contribution to support routine exams, leading to an early detection of anomalous values potentially correlated to pathologies.

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Fig. 1: Longitudinal study: confidence ellipses.
Fig. 2: Cross-sectional study: confidence ellipses.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the Ambulatory of Obstetrics and Gynaecology’s staff (Hospital “Ospedale Civile E. Agnelli”), Dr. Valeria Succa for data analysis and statistical support, Dr. Annalisa Costantino for the English language support and Dr. Fabiano Merzari for the help and advice for the starting of this research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Torino, Italy

    A. Moroni, A. Giustetto & M. Micheletti Cremasco

  2. Edoardo Agnelli Hospital, Gynaecology and Obstetrics Division, Pinerolo, Italy

    C. Vardè

  3. Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cittadella di Monserrato, Cagliari, Italy

    S. Stagi & E. Marini

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Contributions

AM contributed to the conceptualisation of the study design, revised the literature, conducted the research, was responsible for data analysis and interpretation and wrote the original article draught. CV contributed to the conceptualisation of the study design, provided resources, helped in the medical interpretation of results and supervised the development of the entire research. AG contributed to the data analysis and curation. SS contributed to the data analysis, curation and helped in data interpretation. EM contributed to the validation of the methodology, helped in data interpretation and reviewed the entire manuscript. MMC: contributed to the conceptualisation of the study design, provided resources, helped in data analysis and interpretation of results, supervised the development of the entire research and reviewed the manuscript from the original draught.

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Correspondence to M. Micheletti Cremasco.

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Moroni, A., Vardè, C., Giustetto, A. et al. Bioelectrical Impedance Vector Analysis (BIVA) for the monitoring of body composition in pregnancy. Eur J Clin Nutr 76, 604–609 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-021-00990-7

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