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Updated: Dec 13, 2025
Telomere Length and Telomerase Activity; A Yin and Yang of Cell Senescence
Published on: May 22, 2013
The metabolic syndrome in pregnancy and its association with child telomere length
Dale McAninch1,2, Tina Bianco-Miotto1,3, Kathy L Gatford1,2
1Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, North Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia.
Insights
Maternal metabolic syndrome during pregnancy is linked to shorter child telomeres, a sign of accelerated aging. This association was observed at 10 years of age, with no significant differences in child anthropometry or blood pressure.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive health and child development
- Genetics and aging biomarkers
- Metabolic health during pregnancy
Background:
- The metabolic syndrome, a cluster of conditions increasing heart disease risk, can occur during pregnancy.
- Telomere length is a biomarker for cellular aging and may be influenced by early-life exposures.
- Understanding the long-term impact of maternal metabolic health on child development is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between maternal metabolic syndrome in pregnancy and child telomere length at 10 years of age.
- To examine the relationship between maternal metabolic syndrome and child anthropometry (weight, BMI) and blood pressure at 10 years.
- To assess telomere length as a potential biomarker for the effects of pregnancy metabolic health on offspring.
Main Methods:
- Prospective cohort study (Screening for Pregnancy Endpoints - SCOPE) of nulliparous women.
- Diagnosis of metabolic syndrome using IDF criteria based on data from 14-16 weeks gestation.
- Quantitative PCR assessment of telomere length from children's saliva at 10 years of age, with adjustment for confounders.
Main Results:
- Children born to mothers with metabolic syndrome during pregnancy had 14% shorter telomeres at 10 years of age compared to controls.
- No significant differences were found in height-for-age, weight-for-age, or BMI z-scores between children based on maternal metabolic syndrome status.
- Maternal metabolic syndrome in pregnancy was associated with shorter child telomeres, suggesting a potential impact on aging biomarkers.
Conclusions:
- Maternal metabolic syndrome during pregnancy is associated with shorter telomere length in children at 10 years, indicating accelerated biological aging.
- The findings highlight the importance of maternal metabolic health for long-term child health outcomes.
- Further research in larger cohorts is recommended to confirm these associations and explore early-life telomere measurements.
Aims/Hypothesis:
The aim of this study was to determine whether presence of the metabolic syndrome in pregnancy associates with child telomere length or child anthropometry (weight, BMI) and BP, measured at 10 years of age.
Methods:
The Screening for Pregnancy Endpoints study (SCOPE) was a multicentre, international prospective cohort of nulliparous pregnant women recruited from Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and the UK (N = 5628). The current analysis is a 10 year follow-up of SCOPE pregnant women and their children, from the Australian cohort. Clinical data collected at 14-16 weeks' gestation during the SCOPE study were used to diagnose the metabolic syndrome using IDF criteria. Telomere length, a biomarker of ageing, was assessed by quantitative PCR from children's saliva collected at 10 years of age.
Results:
In women who completed follow-up (n = 255), 20% had the metabolic syndrome in pregnancy. After adjusting for a range of confounders, children of mothers who had the metabolic syndrome in pregnancy had 14% shorter telomeres than children of mothers without the metabolic syndrome in pregnancy (mean difference -0.36 [95% CI -0.74, 0.01]). Height- and weight-for-age, and BMI z scores were similar in children of mothers who did and did not have the metabolic syndrome during pregnancy.
Conclusions/Interpretation:
Children of mothers who had the metabolic syndrome in pregnancy have shorter telomeres, a biomarker of accelerated ageing. These findings warrant further studies in larger cohorts of children, as well as investigations into whether telomere length measured in cord blood associates with telomere length in childhood.
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