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Maternal nutrition, fetal development and adult disease

Maternal nutrition, fetal development and adult disease
Maternal nutrition, fetal development and adult disease

Reanalysis of a study relating to birthweight and placental weight of people born in Preston to their blood pressure at the age of 50 indicated that those who were disproportionate at birth, being either thin or short, had raised adult blood pressures. A further study of people born in Preston showed a link between fingerprint characteristics, laid down around 9-13 weeks of fetal development, and both disproportionate size at birth and raised adult blood pressure. This suggested that raised blood pressure during adult life may have its origins in early pregnancy. Support for this hypothesis, together with an indication that the mother's nutritional status could be an important underlying influence, came from analysis of a follow up study of Jamaican children. This showed that the offspring of mothers with a thin triceps skinfold thickness at 15 weeks' gestation had higher blood pressure at the age of 11 years. A further follow up study of 40 year old adults in Aberdeen provided the first direct indication that the mother's nutrient intakes during pregnancy may exert long-term effects on her offspring's risk of cardiovascular disease. These analyses showed that variations in the balance of animal protein and carbohydrate in the mother's diet in pregnancy were associated with alterations in the weight of the placenta at birth and with raised blood pressure in the offspring in adult life.

Women who had high carbohydrate intake in early pregnancy had babies with lower placental and birth weights. Low maternal intakes of dairy and meat protein in late pregnancy were also associated with lower placental and fetal weights. These associations were independent of the women's height, body mass index and smoking. They were also independent of a strong association between low maternal birthweight and thinness at birth. The effects of maternal diet on placental growth were associated with alterations in birth proportions and in the umbilical cord plasma concentration of insulin, a major regulator of fetal growth.

University of Southampton
Godfrey, Keith Malcolm
941bd292-2c49-4413-9fd3-f218a68dca0c
Godfrey, Keith Malcolm
941bd292-2c49-4413-9fd3-f218a68dca0c

Godfrey, Keith Malcolm (1999) Maternal nutrition, fetal development and adult disease. University of Southampton, Doctoral Thesis.

Record type: Thesis (Doctoral)

Abstract

Reanalysis of a study relating to birthweight and placental weight of people born in Preston to their blood pressure at the age of 50 indicated that those who were disproportionate at birth, being either thin or short, had raised adult blood pressures. A further study of people born in Preston showed a link between fingerprint characteristics, laid down around 9-13 weeks of fetal development, and both disproportionate size at birth and raised adult blood pressure. This suggested that raised blood pressure during adult life may have its origins in early pregnancy. Support for this hypothesis, together with an indication that the mother's nutritional status could be an important underlying influence, came from analysis of a follow up study of Jamaican children. This showed that the offspring of mothers with a thin triceps skinfold thickness at 15 weeks' gestation had higher blood pressure at the age of 11 years. A further follow up study of 40 year old adults in Aberdeen provided the first direct indication that the mother's nutrient intakes during pregnancy may exert long-term effects on her offspring's risk of cardiovascular disease. These analyses showed that variations in the balance of animal protein and carbohydrate in the mother's diet in pregnancy were associated with alterations in the weight of the placenta at birth and with raised blood pressure in the offspring in adult life.

Women who had high carbohydrate intake in early pregnancy had babies with lower placental and birth weights. Low maternal intakes of dairy and meat protein in late pregnancy were also associated with lower placental and fetal weights. These associations were independent of the women's height, body mass index and smoking. They were also independent of a strong association between low maternal birthweight and thinness at birth. The effects of maternal diet on placental growth were associated with alterations in birth proportions and in the umbilical cord plasma concentration of insulin, a major regulator of fetal growth.

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Published date: 1999

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Local EPrints ID: 463613
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/463613
PURE UUID: 85c5a7da-b7eb-4981-825c-b7f7c15c59dd

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Date deposited: 04 Jul 2022 20:54
Last modified: 23 Jul 2022 02:15

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Author: Keith Malcolm Godfrey

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