Context of research |
|
Premature and low birth weight infants that survive the rigours of the neonatal period have a high risk of life-long complications including mental, visual and hearing problems, autism and cerebral palsy.
In addition, low birth weight infants are at increased risk of developing metabolic syndrome in later life. |
|
What problem is our research addressing? |
-
Adverse pregnancy outcomes predominate in young adolescent girls. This is of concern as the UK has the highest adolescent pregnancy rate in Western Europe.
-
Poverty and gynaecological immaturity contribute to poor pregnancy outcome in human adolescents but there is also evidence that diet plays an important and potentially modifiable role.
-
Our research aims to unravel the underlying mechanisms and determine the role of maternal nutrition in this nutritionally vulnerable section of the population.
|
|
| |
What research have we carried out on this topic? |
We have developed highly controlled and unique adolescent sheep models to investigate:
(a) the impact of maternal diet on prenatal growth and metabolism.
(b) the long term consequences of growth restriction on lifetime metabolic health.
|
| |
What are the key findings of this research? |
-
Maternal intake at both ends of the nutritional spectrum is a powerful determinant of fetal growth in pregnant adolescents, but the mechanisms differ.
-
Overnourishing adolescent sheep to promote maternal growth during pregnancy results in major placental and fetal growth restriction and recapitulates the critical features of human intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR).
-
Early defects in placental angiogenesis and uteroplacental blood flows are responsible for prenatal growth restriction in this paradigm and impact on metabolism, both in utero and in later life.
-
Undernourishing adolescent sheep to prevent maternal growth also modestly reduces birth weight but is due to direct limitation of nutrient supply rather than alterations in placental development.
|
Features Common to Human IUGR and the Overnourished Adolescent Model
|
Attenuated Uterine Blood Flow:
A Mid-Pregnancy Defect
|
IUGR: temporary set-back or
lifelong consequences? |
 |
 |
 |
|
What are the potential deliverables from this research? |
-
Identification of critical windows of sensitivity and reversibility of nutritional effects both in utero and in later life.
-
Identification of early markers of impaired placental function and controlled evaluation of potential nutritional, endocrine or pharmacological therapies.
-
Evaluation of biomarkers of growth and nutritional status at conception as a basis for formulating appropriate dietary advice.
|
|
Key References |
Wallace JM et al. (2005) Investigating the causes of low birth weight in contrasting ovine paradigms. Journal of Physiology 565.1, 19-26
Luther JS et al. (2005) Nutritional paradigms of ovine fetal growth restriction: Implications for human pregnancy. Human Fertility 8(3), 179-187
Wallace JM et al. (2006) Nutritional modulation of adolescent pregnancy outcome. Placenta 27, S61-S68. |
|
