Fetal programming
Nutritional
The developing foetus gains an impression of the world into which they will be born via its mother’s nutritional status, and its development can be thus modulated to provide it with the best chance of survival. However, excessive or insufficient nutrition in the mother can provoke maladaptive developmental responses in the foetus which present as diseases postnatally. It is possible that has such a profound effect on the foetus’ adult life as to even outweigh lifestyle factors.[1]
Foetal programming in states of excessive nutrition
BMI prior to pregnancy, as well as weight gain during pregnancy are both linked to high blood pressure in the offspring in adulthood. Mouse models suggest that this is due to high foetal levels of the hormone leptin, which is prevalent in the blood of individuals who are overweight or obese. It is thought that this hormone has a negative impact on regulatory systems in the foetus such that it is impossible to maintain blood pressure within normal limits. [2]
Foetal programming in states of insufficient nutrition
Pre-eclampsia, involving oxygen deprivation and death of the trophoblastic cells making up most of the placenta, is a disease often associated with the maladaptive long-term consequences of inappropriate foetal programming. Here, a poorly developed and poorly functioning placenta fails to meet the foetus’ nutritional needs during gestation, either by altering its selectivity for nutrients which can cross into foetal blood or restricting total volume thereof. The consequences of this for the foetus in adult life include cardiovascular and metabolic conditions. [3]Vorlage:User sandbox
- ↑ Nutrition of females during the peri-conceptional period and effects on foetal programming and health of offspring. In: Animal Reproduction Science. 130. Jahrgang, Nr. 3-4, 1. Februar 2012, ISSN 0378-4320, S. 193–197, doi:10.1016/j.anireprosci.2012.01.015 (englisch, sciencedirect.com).
- ↑ P. D. Taylor, A.-M. Samuelsson, L. Poston: Maternal obesity and the developmental programming of hypertension: a role for leptin. In: Acta Physiologica. 210. Jahrgang, Nr. 3, 6. Februar 2014, ISSN 1748-1708, S. 508–523, doi:10.1111/apha.12223 (englisch, wiley.com).
- ↑ Leslie Myatt: Placental adaptive responses and fetal programming. In: The Journal of Physiology. 572. Jahrgang, Nr. 1, 28. März 2006, ISSN 0022-3751, S. 25–30, doi:10.1113/jphysiol.2006.104968, PMID 16469781, PMC 1779654 (freier Volltext) – (englisch, wiley.com).