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Updated: Aug 1, 2026

In utero Measurement of Heart Rate in Mouse by Noninvasive M-mode Echocardiography
Published on: November 22, 2013
Fetal origins of cardiovascular disease
Michel Baum1, Luis Ortiz, Albert Quan
1Department of Pediatrics, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75235-9063, USA. Michel.Baum@UTSouthwestern.edu
Abstract:
Several epidemiologic studies have shown that intrauterine growth retardation is a risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease in later life. In this review, we discuss these epidemiologic studies and animal models that have been developed to investigate the pathophysiology of this phenomenon. We discuss data suggesting that intrauterine growth retardation leads to fetal exposure to maternal glucocorticoids. In addition, we present other data showing that fetal exposure of glucocorticoids during specific times of fetal development results in focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis, a reduced number of nephrons, hypertension, and diabetes. These studies suggest that at critical times during fetal development fetal injury programs the development of cardiovascular disease and diabetes in later life.
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