Print | Search | Send-to-Friend | Health Library Home

Macrosomia

(Large for Gestational Age; LGA)

How to Say It: mak-row-SOHM-ee-uh

• Definition • Causes • Risk Factors • Symptoms • Diagnosis • Treatment • Prevention

Definition

Macrosomia is when a baby is larger than normal before birth. Most babies are about 7 pounds (3.17 kilograms). Babies with this health problem are 8 pounds, 13 ounces (3.99 kilograms) or more.

Causes TOP

The most common cause is diabetes in the mother during pregnancy.

Risk Factors TOP

Things that may raise the risk are:

Mother having diabetes or gestational diabetes
Mother is obese
Mother and/or father of large size
Too much weight gain by the mother during pregnancy

Symptoms TOP

The main sign is a predicted birth weight of at least 8 pounds, 13 ounces or more.

Diagnosis TOP

The doctor will ask about your symptoms and health history. A physical and pelvic exam will be done.

Pictures may be taken to estimate the birth weight. This can be done with ultrasound.

Ultrasound of Fetus
Fetal Ultrasound
Copyright © Nucleus Medical Media, Inc.

Treatment TOP

The goal of treatment is to safely deliver the baby. The baby may be too large to be delivered through the birth canal. A Cesarean delivery (C-section) may be done.

Prevention TOP

To lower the risk of this problem:

Get early prenatal care.
Maintain a healthy weight during pregnancy.
Manage diabetes.

RESOURCES:

American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
http://www.acog.org

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
http://www.cdc.gov

CANADIAN RESOURCES:

Women's Health Matters
https://www.womenshealthmatters.ca

Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada
http://sogc.org

REFERENCES:

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Committee on Practice Bulletins—Obstetrics. Practice Bulletin No. 190: Gestational Diabetes Mellitus. Obstet Gynecol. 2018 Feb;131(2):e49-e64, reaffirmed 2019.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/condition/gestational-diabetes-mellitus-gdm. Updated July 13, 2018. Accessed August 7, 2018.

6/16/2015: DynaMed Systematic Literature Surveillance https://www.dynamed.com/condition/gestational-diabetes-mellitus-gdm: Wiebe HW, Boulé NG, et al. The effect of supervised prenatal exercise on fetal growth: a meta-analysis. Obstet Gynecol. 2015 May;125(5):1185-1194.

Last reviewed September 2020 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Elliot M. Levine, MD, FACOG
Last Updated: 4/27/2021

EBSCO Information Services is fully accredited by URAC. URAC is an independent, nonprofit health care accrediting organization dedicated to promoting health care quality through accreditation, certification and commendation.

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.

To send comments or feedback to our Editorial Team regarding the content please email us at healthlibrarysupport@ebsco.com. Our Health Library Support team will respond to your email request within 2 business days.