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Changes in placental size during Ramadan

Changes in placental size during Ramadan
Changes in placental size during Ramadan
Background
Placental growth responds to maternal influences. Ramadan is an annual period of day-time fasting during which people in Saudi Arabia, including pregnant women, change their diets and physical activity. Little is known about the effects of this altered lifestyle on placental development.

Methods
We studied the birth records of 7083 babies born over a four-year period to Saudi nationals in Unizah, a small city 350 km to the north of Riyadh, the capital city of Saudi Arabia. The records included birth weight, placental weight and gestational age.

Results
Mean birth weight was similar to European values but the mean placental weight and ratio of placental weight to birth weight were lower. Among babies who were in the second or third trimester of gestation during Ramadan the mean placental weight and ratio were below those of babies who were not in utero during Ramadan. Among boys the mean placental ratios were 14.4 percent (second trimester) and 14.5 percent (third trimester) compared with 14.9 percent (p = <0.001 and 0.002). The corresponding figures for girls were 14.8 and 14.6 percent compared with 15.1 percent (p = 0.02 and <0.001).

Conclusions
In Saudi Arabia placentas respond to mothers’ limited ability to deliver nutrients to them. Placental growth slows but efficiency is increased so that fetal growth is sustained, albeit with a reduced reserve capacity. The lifestyle changes associated with Ramadan further slow placental growth. Ramadan may influence placental growth through dietary changes other than day-time fasting. Changes in placental growth during Ramadan could be associated with altered fetal programming, and may therefore have long-term implications for the health of the next generation.
placental weight, placental ratio, ramadan, programming
0143-4004
607-610
Alwasel, S.H.
ea0f8ea5-a186-4a34-a1c8-50cbc93aed52
Abotalib, Z.
650beb00-f3c2-4165-a3ab-bd3b2f868ba7
Alijarallah, J.S.
2e032997-b4e4-4af6-aee4-42dc3b5739b6
Osmond, C.
2677bf85-494f-4a78-adf8-580e1b8acb81
Alkharaz, S.M.
30fcc8d6-546a-42c2-85f9-42f2699af03d
Alhazza, I.M.
e2933702-f304-4e13-affa-d14ce891232c
Badr, G.
c9e0d21b-bfbe-4067-b3b0-bf0608653306
Barker, D.J.P.
64c6005a-eea7-4c26-8f07-50d875998512
Alwasel, S.H.
ea0f8ea5-a186-4a34-a1c8-50cbc93aed52
Abotalib, Z.
650beb00-f3c2-4165-a3ab-bd3b2f868ba7
Alijarallah, J.S.
2e032997-b4e4-4af6-aee4-42dc3b5739b6
Osmond, C.
2677bf85-494f-4a78-adf8-580e1b8acb81
Alkharaz, S.M.
30fcc8d6-546a-42c2-85f9-42f2699af03d
Alhazza, I.M.
e2933702-f304-4e13-affa-d14ce891232c
Badr, G.
c9e0d21b-bfbe-4067-b3b0-bf0608653306
Barker, D.J.P.
64c6005a-eea7-4c26-8f07-50d875998512

Alwasel, S.H., Abotalib, Z., Alijarallah, J.S., Osmond, C., Alkharaz, S.M., Alhazza, I.M., Badr, G. and Barker, D.J.P. (2010) Changes in placental size during Ramadan. Placenta, 31 (7), 607-610. (doi:10.1016/j.placenta.2010.04.010).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Background
Placental growth responds to maternal influences. Ramadan is an annual period of day-time fasting during which people in Saudi Arabia, including pregnant women, change their diets and physical activity. Little is known about the effects of this altered lifestyle on placental development.

Methods
We studied the birth records of 7083 babies born over a four-year period to Saudi nationals in Unizah, a small city 350 km to the north of Riyadh, the capital city of Saudi Arabia. The records included birth weight, placental weight and gestational age.

Results
Mean birth weight was similar to European values but the mean placental weight and ratio of placental weight to birth weight were lower. Among babies who were in the second or third trimester of gestation during Ramadan the mean placental weight and ratio were below those of babies who were not in utero during Ramadan. Among boys the mean placental ratios were 14.4 percent (second trimester) and 14.5 percent (third trimester) compared with 14.9 percent (p = <0.001 and 0.002). The corresponding figures for girls were 14.8 and 14.6 percent compared with 15.1 percent (p = 0.02 and <0.001).

Conclusions
In Saudi Arabia placentas respond to mothers’ limited ability to deliver nutrients to them. Placental growth slows but efficiency is increased so that fetal growth is sustained, albeit with a reduced reserve capacity. The lifestyle changes associated with Ramadan further slow placental growth. Ramadan may influence placental growth through dietary changes other than day-time fasting. Changes in placental growth during Ramadan could be associated with altered fetal programming, and may therefore have long-term implications for the health of the next generation.

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More information

Published date: July 2010
Keywords: placental weight, placental ratio, ramadan, programming

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 161219
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/161219
ISSN: 0143-4004
PURE UUID: 4db7a15f-7707-4b06-80d5-4c7fa7748d69
ORCID for C. Osmond: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-9054-4655

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 26 Jul 2010 14:04
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 02:38

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Contributors

Author: S.H. Alwasel
Author: Z. Abotalib
Author: J.S. Alijarallah
Author: C. Osmond ORCID iD
Author: S.M. Alkharaz
Author: I.M. Alhazza
Author: G. Badr
Author: D.J.P. Barker

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