Obesity during pregnancy: The findings, published in The Journal of Physiology, suggest that excess weight changes the structure of the placenta – a vital organ that nourishes the baby in the mother’s womb – more than poor glucose control in pregnancy.
Rates of obesity and gestational diabetes — the development of poor glucose — during pregnancy are on the rise, worldwide.
While both have been associated with several maternal and fetal complications, such as an increased risk of fetal death, stillbirth, infant death, and high stillbirth, it was not yet known how these complications arise.
The study showed that maternal obesity, more than gestational diabetes, reduced the formation of the placenta, its blood vessel density and surface area, and its ability to exchange nutrients between the mother and the developing baby.
Both obesity and gestational diabetes affect placental hormone production and inflammatory markers, suggesting that the placenta is indeed functioning abnormally.
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The new insights enhance understanding of mechanisms underlying the increased risk of poor pregnancy outcomes and subsequent poor neonatal and offspring health.
“Since obesity and gestational diabetes often co-exist, the study highlights the importance of obesity on gestational diabetes in modulating placental structure and function, and begins to piece together how these placental changes are observed.” complications (for example – intrauterine death and stillbirth) and increased future non-communicable disease risk for both mother and child,” said Professor Mushi Matzila from the University of Cape Town.
The identification of specific changes in the placenta could lead to the potential development of placenta-targeted therapies or screening tests in the future that could improve health outcomes for mothers and offspring, especially in low- to middle-income countries, according to a study by the University of Cambridge. said the researcher.
The study looked at 71 women, of whom 52 were obese and 38 developed gestational diabetes.
The study also acknowledged limitations such as the small sample size. With only 71 females, it was not possible to determine whether the sex of the fetus affected these placental changes. thus it warrants further study.