Pre-Pregnancy weight loss may boost Baby's health, study finds

NCT ID NCT03244722

Completed Knowledge-focused Sponsor: University of Michigan Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 26, 2026

Summary

This study tested whether a very low energy diet (800 calories a day using meal replacements) before pregnancy could improve the health of obese women and their babies. 147 women participated, including those with obesity and healthy-weight women for comparison. Researchers measured weight loss, metabolic changes, and baby's body fat at birth to see if the diet made a difference.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: Very-low energy Diet (VLED) using liquid meal replacements
What this could lead to: If successful, this could show that losing weight before pregnancy improves the health of both mother and baby, potentially reducing future obesity risk in children.
What could go wrong: This is an early-stage observational study with only 147 participants. Results may not apply to all women, and the strict diet may be hard to follow long-term.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

inherited obesity Obesity obesity disorder pregnancy disorder

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

OBESITY; FAMILIAL PREGNANCY RELATED

Contacts and locations

Locations

University of Michigan

Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48106, United States

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