Does the BMI of Expectant Mothers Influence the Concentration of C-Reactive Protein in Newborns in the Early Neonatal Period?

Abstract Aim: The aim of the study is to determine the effect of body mass index in pregnancy on the CRP concentration in pregnant women and their newborn. The results of the study will serve as a guide for a more valid assessment of slightly elevated concentrations of CRP and a potential new guide for the treatment of newborns with antibiotics. Method: The research is a cohort prospective study of 2 groups of pregnant women and their newborn with respect to the body mass index of the pregnant women prior to delivery. The study included 128 pregnant women and their newborn whose serum was analysed to ascertain CRP concentration. Results: The CRP concentration in pregnant women with an elevated BMI was higher than in the pregnant women with normal BMI during pregnancy. The difference is statistically significant (p<0.001). The CRP concentration taken from the umbilical cord and during the second day of life of the newborn of the pregnant women with an elevated BMI was statistically significantly higher than in the newborn of the pregnant women with normal BMI during pregnancy (p<0.001). A repeated blood test conducted between the third and fifth day of life showed that the concentration of CRP in the newborn of both study groups was within referential values. Conclusion: The study indicates a significant correlation between BMI in pregnancy and CRP concentration in pregnant women and their newborn. The results of this study are a potential milepost in addressing the dilemma of whether to administer antibiotics to newborns with elevated CRP values (<20 mg/L) without aggravating their clinical condition. It may be necessary to simply repeat the laboratory tests of CRP in the blood of the newborn in the first days of life and thus follow its dynamics.