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Fetal growth and adult disease
1Department of Epidemiology and Population Sciences, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, UK.
Insights
Fetal growth variations are linked to adult diseases like diabetes and heart disease. This review explores fetal growth impairment, its mechanisms, and implications for later health outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Perinatal epidemiology
- Developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD)
Background:
- Growing evidence links variations in fetal growth to adult chronic diseases.
- Conventional perinatal epidemiology often overlooks these long-term associations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current knowledge on fetal growth and adult disease associations.
- To discuss definitions, mechanisms, and the concept of programming.
- To outline implications and research priorities.
Main Methods:
- Literature review and synthesis of existing research.
- Discussion of definitions and operationalization of fetal growth and programming.
- Relating findings to perinatal epidemiology.
Main Results:
- Associations exist between impaired fetal growth and adult conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, coronary heart disease, and cancer.
- Mechanisms underlying fetal programming require further elucidation.
- The concept of fetal programming offers a framework for understanding these links.
Conclusions:
- Fetal growth is a critical determinant of adult health.
- Further research is needed to clarify mechanisms and inform interventions.
- Integrating DOHaD concepts into perinatal epidemiology is crucial.
Abstract:
Current knowledge on associations between variations in fetal growth on the one hand and blood pressure, noninsulin dependent diabetes, coronary heart disease and cancer in adulthood on the other is reviewed and related to more conventional preoccupations of perinatal epidemiology. Commonly used definitions and indicators of impaired fetal growth, possible explanations and mechanisms of the association between fetal growth impairment and later disease, and the concept and operational definitions of programming are discussed. Implications and research priorities that can be derived from this information are presented.