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Developmental programming of peripheral diseases in offspring exposed to maternal obesity during pregnancy
Nirajan Shrestha1, Henry C Ezechukwu2, Olivia J Holland1,3
1School of Medical Science, Griffith University, Southport, Queensland, Australia.
Insights
Maternal obesity during pregnancy impacts offspring
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Health
- Developmental Biology
- Metabolic Health
Background:
- Obesity is a global health issue affecting women of reproductive age.
- Maternal obesity during pregnancy is linked to adverse outcomes for both mother and infant.
- Offspring health later in life can be affected by maternal obesity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review studies on maternal obesity's programming effects on offspring.
- To examine impacts on metabolic, cardiovascular, immune, and microbiome health.
- To explore sex-specific effects and the role of the placenta.
Main Methods:
- Review of epidemiological and animal studies.
- Analysis of research on maternal obesity's effects before and during pregnancy.
- Investigation of mechanisms linking maternal obesity to offspring disease risk.
Main Results:
- Maternal obesity can lead to metabolic, cardiovascular, immune, and microbiome perturbations in offspring.
- Effects are often sex-specific, with the placenta playing a key role.
- Animal studies offer insights into underlying mechanisms.
Conclusions:
- Maternal obesity poses significant risks for offspring's long-term health.
- Further research is needed to understand the complex mechanisms involved.
- Understanding these links is crucial for preventing future diseases.
Abstract:
Obesity is an increasing global health epidemic that affects all ages, including women of reproductive age. During pregnancy, maternal obesity is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes that lead to complications for the mother. In addition, maternal obesity can increase the risk of poor perinatal outcomes for the infant due to altered development. Recent research has investigated the effects of maternal obesity on peripheral organ development and health in later life in offspring. In this review, we have summarized studies that investigated the programming effects of maternal obesity before and during pregnancy on metabolic, cardiovascular, immune, and microbiome perturbations in offspring. Epidemiological studies investigating the effects of maternal obesity on offspring development can be complex due to other copathologies and genetic diversity. Animal studies have provided some insights into the specific mechanisms and pathways involved in programming peripheral disease risk. The effects of maternal obesity during pregnancy on offspring development are often sex specific, with sex-specific changes in placental transport and function suggestive that this organ is likely to play a central role. We believe that this review will assist in facilitating future investigations regarding the underlying mechanisms that link maternal obesity and offspring disease risk in peripheral organs.
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