Pregnancy diet child disease link
January 25, 2005
If a pregnant woman has a poor diet it may increase
her child's chances of having heart disease, scientists
say.
A University of Southampton team found blood flow through
the unborn baby's liver in late pregnancy was crucial.
Their study in Circulation Research found more blood
flows through the livers of babies who have slim mothers
or who eat unbalanced diets.
This can affect liver function in later life, increasing
the risk of heart disease and diabetes in the offspring.
Researchers from the University of Southampton, along
with colleagues from Bergen and Oslo, looked at how
a mother's diet and slimness could have long-term effects
on a developing baby.
They used ultrasound to measure the blood flow to the
liver of the developing baby in late pregnancy in 381
mothers-to-be.
They found that babies of slimmer mothers, who have
lower body fat stores, and those eating an unbalanced
diet have greater liver blood flow and divert less blood
away from the liver in late pregnancy.
Dependency
It is suggested that this changes blood flow through
the liver, and may cause subtle changes in its development
and alter the baby's ability to cope with a high-fat
"Western" diet in later life, thereby predisposing
to adult heart disease and diabetes.
The research suggests that improving a mother's nutrition
before she conceives could have lifelong benefits for
the health of her baby.
By measuring the growth and development of the babies
during the pre-school years the researchers hope to
identify whether or not the liver blood flow adaptations
in the womb have long-term implications.
Dr Keith Godfrey, of the Medical Research Council (MRC)
Epidemiology Resource Centre at the University of Southampton's
School of Medicine, who led the study, said: "During
pregnancy, the developing baby is wholly dependent upon
the mother for an adequate and appropriate supply of
nutrients.
"This research is the first work to recognise
that a mother's slimness and diet alter the circulation
of blood in her developing baby in the womb.
"As a mother's slimness and unbalanced diet during
pregnancy have been linked with susceptibility to heart
disease and diabetes in the offspring in later life,
the findings may have important implications."
He added: "The observations suggest that before
birth many normal babies adapt to the supply of nutrients
from the mother and alter the amount of blood flowing
to the liver.
"We believe that this 'liver-sparing' adaptation
could help the baby to continue growing in the womb,
even if the mother's body is not able to supply the
nutrients needed by the baby.
"However, the adaptations could have long-term
consequences for how the liver deals with fat and other
nutrients after birth."
Dr Guttorm Haugen, of the Department of Obstetrics
and Gynaecology at the University of Oslo, who also
worked on the study, added: "The concept of 'liver-sparing'
could lead to new diagnostic measures to investigate
how maternal slimness and unbalanced diet increase the
risk of adult heart disease and diabetes in the offspring."
Dr Charmaine Griffiths, spokesperson for the British
Heart Foundation, which supported the study, said: "This
study continues to add to our understanding of how a
mother's diet can significantly affect the health of
the child.
"It shows how important it is for women to eat
a balanced diet packed full of fruit and vegetables,
before and during pregnancy.
"Although the importance of a good diet is clear,
further research is needed to understand the effects
of nutrition on human development."
Source:http://news.bbc.co.uk
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