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The effects of in utero exposure to teratogens on organ size: a prospective paediatric study

J J A De Smidt1, H J Odendaal2, D G Nel3

  • 1Department of Medical Biosciences, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa.

Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease
|November 17, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Maternal smoking during pregnancy was linked to smaller kidney and pancreas sizes in children at age 5 in a low-income population. This in utero teratogen exposure may impact long-term health and cardiometabolic risk.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Health
  • Environmental Health
  • Developmental Biology

Background:

  • Prospective data on combined in utero teratogen exposure effects are scarce in low-income countries.
  • Understanding these effects is crucial for early health interventions and risk assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of in utero teratogen exposure, specifically maternal smoking and alcohol consumption, on kidney and pancreas size at 5 years of age.
  • To establish ultrasound reference values for pediatric kidney and pancreas measurements in a low-income setting.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 500 mother-child pairs from a low-income setting was studied.
  • Ultrasound measurements of kidney and pancreas size were taken at age 5.
  • Anthropometric and clinical data, including maternal factors, were collected and analyzed using multiple regression.

Main Results:

  • Children exposed in utero to maternal smoking had significantly smaller left and right kidney lengths and pancreas body measurements at age 5.
  • Waist circumference showed a significant association with pancreas head and tail measurements, influenced by in utero exposure, sex, and BMI.

Conclusions:

  • In utero exposure to nicotine (maternal smoking) negatively affects kidney and pancreas size in children by age 5.
  • These organ size differences may contribute to future cardiometabolic risk.
  • The study provides valuable ultrasound reference data for this pediatric population.

Keywords:
Alcoholbody mass indexintrauterine teratogen exposurekidney sizelow birth weightlow-income settingnicotinepaediatricspancreas sizewaist circumference

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