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Low birth weight and endocrine dysfunction in postnatal life

Veronica Mericq1

  • 1Institute of Maternal and Child Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago. vmericq@med.uchile.cl

Pediatric Endocrinology Reviews : PER
|October 6, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Small size at birth and reduced early growth are linked to endocrine issues like insulin resistance and abnormal puberty. These developmental origins may explain long-term health problems, including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Area of Science:

  • Endocrinology
  • Developmental Biology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Small size at birth increases neonatal morbidity and mortality.
  • Reduced early-life growth is linked to endocrine dysfunctions, including insulin insensitivity, gonadal and somatotropic axis abnormalities, and premature adrenarche.
  • These alterations are associated with increased prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and cardiovascular disease (CHD).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the factors involved in fetal and infant programming.
  • To understand the development of endocrine dysfunction in postnatal life.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on early life growth and endocrine outcomes.
  • Analysis of the
  • Fetal Origins
  • and
  • Developmental Origins
  • hypotheses.

Main Results:

  • Early life growth patterns influence long-term endocrine health.
  • The
  • thrifty phenotype
  • hypothesis suggests adaptive responses to in utero malnutrition.
  • Developmental Origins
  • incorporates postnatal growth contributions.

Conclusions:

  • Factors influencing fetal and infant development play a critical role in programming postnatal endocrine function.
  • Understanding these programming factors is essential for preventing long-term health issues.
  • Early life interventions may mitigate risks associated with endocrine dysfunction.

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