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Umbilical Cord Blood Betaine in Infants Born Small for Gestational Age
Insights
Elevated betaine levels in cord blood are linked to higher risks of small-for-gestational-age infants. This suggests betaine dysregulation may impair fetal growth and impact birth outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Perinatal medicine
- Maternal-fetal medicine
- Nutritional biochemistry
Background:
- Birth weight is crucial for fetal health and predicts child development.
- Poor fetal growth, indicated by small-for-gestational-age (SGA) status, has long-term health implications.
- Understanding factors influencing fetal growth is essential for improving neonatal outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between betaine concentration in cord plasma and the incidence of small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infants.
- To determine if betaine levels correlate with other lipid parameters in newborns.
- To explore the relationship between betaine levels and anthropometric measurements like birth weight and length.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study involving 141 mother-infant pairs was conducted at Chongqing Maternal and Child Health Hospital.
- Participants were categorized into small-for-gestational-age (SGA) and appropriate-for-gestational-age (AGA) groups based on gestational age and birth weight.
- Cord plasma betaine concentrations were quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS).
Main Results:
- Cord plasma betaine concentrations were significantly higher in the small-for-gestational-age (SGA) group compared to the appropriate-for-gestational-age (AGA) group.
- Betaine levels did not show a correlation with plasma lipid profiles (triglycerides, LDL, HDL, total cholesterol).
- Adjusted analyses revealed a negative correlation between birth weight and birth length with betaine levels, indicating higher betaine is associated with poorer growth.
Conclusions:
- Elevated cord blood betaine concentration is independently associated with an increased risk of small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infants.
- Betaine dysregulation may represent a novel risk factor for impaired fetal growth.
- Further research is warranted to elucidate the mechanisms underlying betaine's role in fetal development.
Background:
Birth weight is of importance due to its relation to fetal health, and it's also a predictor of the subsequent development of the child.
Objective:
This study aims to assess whether betaine is associated with poor fetal growth.
Design:
A case-control study was used in this study.
Setting:
The study took place at the Chongqing Maternal and Child Health Hospital, in Chong Qing, China.
Participants:
A total of 141mother-infant pairs were recruited from the Department of Obstetrics of our hospital between June 2021 and December 2021. According to gestational age and birth weight, themother-infant pairs were divided into small-for-gestational-age and appropriate-for-gestational-age groups.
Primary Outcome Measures:
Cord plasma concentrations of betaine were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Plasma levels of triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein and total cholesterol were determined using commercially available assays on an automatic biochemical analyzer (BS-240 VET, Mindray Medical, Shenzhen, China) using reagent from Mindray Medical company.
Results:
Cord plasma betaine concentrations were higher in small-for-gestational-age relative to appropriate-for-gestational-age newborns, and were not correlated to lipid levels. Adjusting for maternal and neonatal characteristics, birth weight and birth length were negatively correlated with the levels of betaine. Higher betaine concentrations were associated with increased risks of small-for-gestational-age.
Conclusions:
Elevated cord blood betaine concentration was independently associated with a higher risk of small-for-gestational-age infants, suggesting that betaine dysregulation may be a risk factor for impaired fetal growth.
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