From Preconception to Postnatal: Parental Risk Factors for Fetal-Infant Growth Faltering in LMICs-a Scoping Review (2020-2025).

PURPOSE: This review aimed to map the association between parental (both maternal and paternal) risk factors, from preconception through the postnatal period, and fetal-infant growth faltering.

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

This scoping review followed the PRISMA-ScR frameworks to systematically gather and analyze evidence from major databases (PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science). The inclusion criteria encompassed studies involving pregnant women, fetuses, or infants aged 0-24 months, including those diagnosed with fetal or infant growth faltering that examined maternal and/or paternal risk factors, conducted in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs), using study designs such as observational, cross-sectional, cohort, case-control, or randomized controlled trials, and published in English between 2020 and 2025. Data were analysed through thematic synthesis.

RESULTS

From 4235 initial records, we identified 17 eligible studies for this review. The findings showed that the determinants of fetal and infant growth disorders are multifaceted, falling into four key areas. These included individual factors including maternal age, education, nutritional status, health condition, reproductive history, mental health and psychological, marital and socioeconomic,occupation, substance use, and infant factors; environmental concerns including household sanitation and hygiene, water, fuel source, house conditions. Community factors including poverty, deprivation, ethnicity, social inequality, and geographical characteristics. Policy factors, including coverage and quality Antenatal care (ANC), and access to maternal and child health services. These factors represent secondary conditions shaped by broader social and structural determinants of health, rather than direct causal factors. The key determinants shown to influence fetal and infant growth are individual, environmental, community, and policy factors.

CONCLUSION

Fetal and infant growth are influenced by a combination of behavioural, socioeconomic, and environmental factors. These factors contribute considerably to the increased risk of growth disorders in fetal and infant.