Maternal obesity affects newborn somatometrics and vital parameters in a gender typical manner--evidence for the male disadvantage hypothesis?

According to the male disadvantage hypothesis male foetuses react more sensitive to maternal stress factors during gestation. In the present study the gender typical impact of maternal prepregnancy overweight and obesity as well as gestational weight gain on newborn somatometrics was tested on basis of births records of 7565 births, which took place in Vienna Austria. Maternal weight status was determined at the beginning of pregnancy according to the WHO recommendations.