Maternal fat metabolism in pregnancy and fetal abdominal growth influence child weight

August 27, 2022

The study complements our previous work that identified fetal head growth trajectories associated with different developmental, behavioural, visual and growth outcomes at 2 years of age. This study provides evidence of distinct patterns of fetal abdominal growth and placental transfer and how they relate to longer term health. The finding of an association with maternal lipid metabolism early in pregnancy also provides unique insights into how the mother’s health and diet influence her child’s adiposity’. The paper complements work published by the same groups in 2021 that identified fetal head growth trajectories that are associated with different developmental, behavioural, visual and growth outcomes at 2 years of age. The full paper, ‘Association between fetal abdominal growth trajectories, maternal metabolite signatures early in pregnancy, and childhood growth and adiposity: prospective observational multinational INTERBIO-21st fetal study', can be read in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology.

The source of this news is from University of Oxford