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Fetal first trimester growth is not associated with kidney outcomes in childhood

Hanneke Bakker1,2,3, Romy Gaillard1,2,3, Albert Hofman2,4

  • 1The Generation R Study Group (Na-29-15), Erasmus University Medical Center, Box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

Pediatric Nephrology (Berlin, Germany)
|November 1, 2016
PubMed

Insights

First trimester fetal growth restriction did not significantly impact childhood kidney function. However, lower fetal growth was linked to larger kidney volume in children, suggesting further research into early life kidney development is needed.

Area of Science:

  • Perinatal epidemiology
  • Pediatric nephrology
  • Developmental origins of health and disease

Background:

  • Impaired fetal growth is a known risk factor for adult kidney disease.
  • The first trimester is a critical period for organ development, including kidneys.
  • Understanding early growth impacts on kidney health is crucial for long-term outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between fetal growth in the first trimester and kidney outcomes in childhood.
  • To determine if early fetal growth restriction influences kidney size and function during childhood.
  • To identify potential critical windows of development for kidney health.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective population-based cohort study of 1176 mother-child pairs.
  • Fetal first trimester crown-rump length used as the primary growth measure.
  • Childhood kidney volume, microalbuminuria, and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) assessed at median age 6 years.

Main Results:

  • No consistent associations were found between first trimester fetal growth and childhood eGFR or microalbuminuria.
  • Children in the lowest quintile of first trimester growth had significantly larger combined kidney volume compared to those in the highest quintile.
  • Despite differences in kidney size, childhood kidney function (eGFR) did not differ based on first trimester growth.

Conclusions:

  • The study does not support the hypothesis that first trimester fetal growth restriction directly impacts childhood kidney size and function.
  • While kidney volume may be affected, early fetal growth restriction does not appear to impair kidney function in early childhood.
  • Further research is warranted to explore other critical periods in early life that may influence long-term kidney health and disease risk.
Abstract

Keywords:
ChildhoodCrown–rump lengthFetal developmentKidney functionKidney volume

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