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Patey O, Bartsota M, Maric T, Patel D, Savvidou M, Carvalho JS. Impact of maternal bariatric surgery on offspring perinatal cardiac function: A prospective study. BJOG 2024; 131:1080-1088. [PMID: 38155109 DOI: 10.1111/1471-0528.17747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess perinatal cardiac function in offspring of women with previous bariatric surgery and examine its association with maternal glucose control. DESIGN Prospective study. SETTING Maternity unit, UK. POPULATION Fifty-four fetuses/neonates; 29 of post-bariatric surgery women and 25 of women without surgery. METHODS Prospective, longitudinal observational study of pregnant women with and without previous bariatric surgery, matched for early pregnancy body mass index. Cardiac function of all offspring was assessed by two-dimensional conventional, spectral tissue Doppler and speckle-tracking echocardiography at 35-37 weeks of gestation and at 5-7 weeks of age. Maternal glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) was measured at 27-30 weeks of gestation. Maternal demographics and fetal/infant cardiac function indices were compared between the groups. Correlation coefficient (r) is reported. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Fetal/infant cardiac function indices. RESULTS Compared with no-bariatric neonates, offspring of post-bariatric women were smaller at birth (birthweight centiles: 64.96 ± 36.41 versus 40.17 ± 27.99; p = 0.007). There were no significant differences in fetal/infant cardiac function indices and perinatal cardiac changes, between groups. There was a positive correlation between maternal HbA1c and fetal left ventricular (LV) longitudinal strain (r = 0.33) and LV longitudinal strain rate (r = 0.29), suggesting an inverse relation between HbA1c and fetal LV systolic function, but this was mainly seen in offspring of women with no previous bariatric surgery (r = 0.56 and r = 0.50, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Maternal bariatric surgery does not appear to inadvertently affect the offspring cardiac performance. We found an inverse correlation between maternal HbA1c levels and fetal LV systolic function but this was mainly seen in the no-bariatric pregnancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Patey
- Brompton Centre for Fetal Cardiology, Royal Brompton Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Margarita Bartsota
- Brompton Centre for Fetal Cardiology, Royal Brompton Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Tanya Maric
- Academic Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Chelsea & Westminster Hospital, London, UK
- Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College, London, UK
| | - Deesha Patel
- Academic Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Chelsea & Westminster Hospital, London, UK
- Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College, London, UK
| | - Makrina Savvidou
- Academic Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Chelsea & Westminster Hospital, London, UK
- Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College, London, UK
- Fetal Medicine Unit, Chelsea & Westminster Hospital, London, UK
| | - Julene S Carvalho
- Brompton Centre for Fetal Cardiology, Royal Brompton Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
- Cardiovascular Clinical Academic Group, Molecular and Clinical Sciences Research Institute, St George's University of London, London, UK
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Impact of maternal emotional state during pregnancy on fetal heart rate variability. COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY 2023; 14:100181. [PMID: 36911250 PMCID: PMC9995932 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpnec.2023.100181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The fetal autonomic nervous system (ANS) is believed to be negatively affected by maternal adverse emotional states. In this study, we evaluated how depression, anxiety and stress during pregnancy are related to fetal heart rate variability (HRV) as recorded with magnetocardiography (MCG). We also considered metabolic factors such as maternal adiposity and circulating levels of cortisol during gestation. Furthermore, we followed up these fetuses after birth, recording HRV and saliva levels of cortisol in these infants to establish any effects postpartum. Methods We calculated HRV in spontaneous MCG recordings from 32 healthy fetuses between 32 and 38 weeks of gestational age. Maternal emotional state was assessed using standardized questionnaires about anxiety, depression and stress. An overall indicator of maternal well-being was calculated by z-scoring each individual questionnaire and summation. We used a median split to divide the group into high and low z-scores (HZS and LZS), respectively. Standard HRV measures were determined in the time and frequency domain. T-test analyses were performed between LZS and HZS, with the HRV and the metabolic measures as the dependent variables. Results We found an impaired HRV in the HZS group both during pregnancy and after birth. No differences were observed between LZS and HZS for metabolic factors. Depression and anxiety symptoms seem to affect HRV differently. No relationship was found between maternal and infant cortisol levels. Conclusions On the basis of our results on different HRV parameters, we propose that maternal emotional state might affect the development of the fetal nervous system in utero.
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Maternal Weight Gain during Pregnancy and the Developing Autonomic Nervous System-Possible Impact of GDM. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14245220. [PMID: 36558379 PMCID: PMC9784678 DOI: 10.3390/nu14245220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The intrauterine environment is known to affect the offspring's long-term risk for obesity and diabetes. Previous data show that maternal metabolism and gestational weight gain (GWG) are associated with fetal autonomic nervous system (ANS) function, which can be assessed with heart rate variability (HRV). We investigated whether this association is also present in 2-year-old children and addressed the impact of gestational diabetes (GDM). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We examined the 2-year-old offspring of mothers who had undergone a 5-point, 75 g oral glucose tolerance test during pregnancy. To assess HRV, a 10-minute ECG was recorded, and time domain and frequency domain parameters were analyzed. Body composition was assessed using bioelectrical impedance testing. RESULTS We examined 67 children (33 girls, 34 boys), 30 of whom were born to mothers with treated GDM and normoglycemic pregnancies (NGT), respectively. No differences were found between the groups with regard to birth weight, weight at the age of 2 years, and body fat content. We observed that GWG was associated with heart rate and HRV, indicating that children of mothers with low GWG had a lower parasympathetic tone. This association was detected in NGT-exposed-but not in GDM-exposed-children. HR and HRV correlated with body fat and fat-free mass in children from normoglycemic pregnancies only. CONCLUSION We found that the impact of maternal GWG on offspring ANS function was missing in the presence of treated GDM. The balance of the ANS was related to offspring body composition in children from NGT pregnancies only. Our results suggest that maternal weight gain during pregnancy has a critical impact on the developing ANS, which might be disturbed in the presence of GDM.
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Widatalla N, Khandoker A, Alkhodari M, Koide K, Yoshida C, Kasahara Y, Kimura Y, Saito M. Similarities between maternal and fetal RR interval tachograms and their association with fetal development. Front Physiol 2022; 13:964755. [PMID: 36479345 PMCID: PMC9721082 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.964755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2023] Open
Abstract
An association between maternal and fetal heart rate (HR) has been reported but, so far, little is known about its physiological implication and importance relative to fetal development. Associations between both HRs were investigated previously by performing beat-by-beat coupling analysis and correlation analysis between average maternal and fetal HRs. However, studies reporting on the presence of similarities between maternal and fetal HRs or RR intervals (RRIs) over the short term (e.g., 5-min) at different gestational ages (GAs) are scarce. Here, we demonstrate the presence of similarities in the variations exhibited by maternal and fetal RRl tachograms (RRITs). To quantify the same similarities, a cross-correlation (CC) analysis between resampled maternal and fetal RRITs was conducted; RRITs were obtained from non-invasive electrocardiogram (ECG). The degree of similarity between maternal and fetal RRITs (bmfRRITs) was quantified by calculating four CC coefficients. CC analysis was performed for a total of 330 segments (two 5-min segments from 158 subjects and one 5-min from 14 subjects). To investigate the association of the similarity bmfRRITs with fetal development, the linear correlation between the calculated CC coefficients and GA was calculated. The results from the latter analysis showed that similarities bmfRRITs are common occurrences, they can be negative or positive, and they increase with GA suggesting the presence of a regulation that is associated with proper fetal development. To get an insight into the physiological mechanisms involved in the similarity bmfRRITs, the association of the same similarity with maternal and fetal HR variability (HRV) was investigated by comparing the means of two groups in which one of them had higher CC values compared to the other. The two groups were created by using the data from the 158 subjects where fetal RRI (fRRI) calculation from two 5-min ECG segments was feasible. The results of the comparison showed that the maternal very low frequency (VLF) HRV parameter is potentially associated with the similarity bmfRRITs implying that maternal hormones could be linked to the regulations involved in the similarity bmfRRITs. Our findings in this study reinforce the role of the maternal intrauterine environment on fetal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Namareq Widatalla
- Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Ahsan Khandoker
- Healthcare Engineering Innovation Center, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Mohanad Alkhodari
- Healthcare Engineering Innovation Center, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Cardiovascular Clinical Research Facility, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Kunihiro Koide
- Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Chihiro Yoshida
- Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Yoshiyuki Kasahara
- Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
- Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Yoshitaka Kimura
- Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
- Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Masatoshi Saito
- Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
- Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
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Groves AM, Price AN, Russell-Webster T, Jhaveri S, Yang Y, Battersby EE, Shahid S, Costa Vieira M, Hughes E, Miller F, Briley AL, Singh C, Seed PT, Chowienczyk PJ, Stern KWD, Cohen J, Pasupathy D, Edwards AD, Poston L, Taylor PD. Impact of maternal obesity on neonatal heart rate and cardiac size. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed 2022; 107:481-487. [PMID: 34789488 DOI: 10.1136/archdischild-2021-322860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Maternal obesity may increase offspring risk of cardiovascular disease. We assessed the impact of maternal obesity on cardiac structure and function in newborns as a marker of fetal cardiac growth. METHODS Neonates born to mothers of healthy weight (body mass index (BMI) 20-25 kg/m2, n=56) and to mothers who were obese (BMI ≥30 kg/m2, n=31) underwent 25-minute continuous ECG recording and non-sedated, free-breathing cardiac MRI within 72 hours of birth. RESULTS Mean (SD) heart rate during sleep was higher in infants born to mothers who were versus were not obese (123 (12.6) vs 114 (9.8) beats/min, p=0.002). Heart rate variability during sleep was lower in infants born to mothers who were versus were not obese (SD of normal-to-normal R-R interval 34.6 (16.8) vs 43.9 (16.5) ms, p=0.05). Similar heart rate changes were seen during wakefulness. Left ventricular end-diastolic volume (2.35 (0.14) vs 2.54 (0.29) mL/kg, p=0.03) and stroke volume (1.50 (0.09) vs 1.60 (0.14), p=0.04) were decreased in infants born to mothers who were versus were not obese. There were no differences in left ventricular end-systolic volume, ejection fraction, output or myocardial mass between the groups. CONCLUSION Maternal obesity was associated with increased heart rate, decreased heart rate variability and decreased left ventricular volumes in newborns. If persistent, these changes may provide a causal mechanism for the increased cardiovascular risk in adult offspring of mothers with obesity. In turn, modifying antenatal and perinatal maternal health may have the potential to optimise long-term cardiovascular health in offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan M Groves
- Department of Pediatrics, The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Anthony N Price
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Division of Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Engineering, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Tamarind Russell-Webster
- Women's and Children's Health, King's College London, London, UK
- Academic Women's Health, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Simone Jhaveri
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Yang Yang
- Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Ellie E Battersby
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Division of Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Engineering, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Shiffa Shahid
- Women's and Children's Health, King's College London, London, UK
| | | | - Emer Hughes
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Division of Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Engineering, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Faith Miller
- Women's and Children's Health, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Annette L Briley
- Women's and Children's Health, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Claire Singh
- Women's and Children's Health, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Paul T Seed
- Women's and Children's Health, King's College London, London, UK
| | | | - Kenan W D Stern
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jennifer Cohen
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Dharmintra Pasupathy
- Women's and Children's Health, King's College London, London, UK
- Department of Maternal and Fetal Medicine, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - A David Edwards
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Division of Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Engineering, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Lucilla Poston
- Women's and Children's Health, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Paul D Taylor
- Women's and Children's Health, King's College London, London, UK
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Programming by maternal obesity: a pathway to poor cardiometabolic health in the offspring. Proc Nutr Soc 2022; 81:227-242. [DOI: 10.1017/s0029665122001914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
There is an ever increasing prevalence of maternal obesity worldwide such that in many populations over half of women enter pregnancy either overweight or obese. This review aims to summarise the impact of maternal obesity on offspring cardiometabolic outcomes. Maternal obesity is associated with increased risk of adverse maternal and pregnancy outcomes. However, beyond this exposure to maternal obesity during development also increases the risk of her offspring developing long-term adverse cardiometabolic outcomes throughout their adult life. Both human studies and those in experimental animal models have shown that maternal obesity can programme increased risk of offspring developing obesity and adipose tissue dysfunction; type 2 diabetes with peripheral insulin resistance and β-cell dysfunction; CVD with impaired cardiac structure and function and hypertension via impaired vascular and kidney function. As female offspring themselves are therefore likely to enter pregnancy with poor cardiometabolic health this can lead to an inter-generational cycle perpetuating the transmission of poor cardiometabolic health across generations. Maternal exercise interventions have the potential to mitigate some of the adverse effects of maternal obesity on offspring health, although further studies into long-term outcomes and how these translate to a clinical context are still required.
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW To review recent evidence linking maternal body mass index and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) with offspring health outcomes. RECENT FINDINGS It is now established that the rising prevalences of maternal obesity and GDM are both making substantial contributions to the growing burden of childhood obesity and associated disorders. Strengthening evidence also links maternal obesity with increased offspring risks of cardiovascular disease, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, lower respiratory tract infections during infancy, wheezing illnesses, asthma and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder during childhood, and with higher risks of psychiatric disorders and colorectal cancer in adulthood. GDM has been associated with increased offspring risks of cardiovascular disease, childhood wheeze/asthma (but not allergic sensitization), and with high refractive error, attention deficit hyperactivity and psychiatric disorders from childhood onwards. SUMMARY The long-term consequences of maternal obesity and GDM for the offspring in childhood and later adult life present major challenges for public health across the life course and for future generations. Tackling these challenges requires a systems-based approach to support achieving a healthy weight in young people prior to conception, alongside new insights into population based preventive measures against gestational diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn V Dalrymple
- Medical Research Council Lifecourse Epidemiology Centre, University of Southampton, Southampton
- Department of Women and Children's Health, School of Life Course and Population Sciences, King's College London, London
| | - Sarah El-Heis
- Medical Research Council Lifecourse Epidemiology Centre, University of Southampton, Southampton
| | - Keith M Godfrey
- Medical Research Council Lifecourse Epidemiology Centre, University of Southampton, Southampton
- NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK
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Semeia L, Sippel K, Moser J, Preissl H. Evaluation of parameters for fetal behavioural state classification. Sci Rep 2022; 12:3410. [PMID: 35233073 PMCID: PMC8888564 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-07476-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Fetal behavioural states (fBS) describe periods of fetal wakefulness and sleep and are commonly defined by features such as body and eye movements and heart rate. Automatic state detection through algorithms relies on different parameters and thresholds derived from both the heart rate variability (HRV) and the actogram, which are highly dependent on the specific datasets and are prone to artefacts. Furthermore, the development of the fetal states is dynamic over the gestational period and the evaluation usually only separated into early and late gestation (before and after 32 weeks). In the current work, fBS detection was consistent between the classification algorithm and visual inspection in 87 fetal magnetocardiographic data segments between 27 and 39 weeks of gestational age. To identify how automated fBS detection could be improved, we first identified commonly used parameters for fBS classification in both the HRV and the actogram, and investigated their distribution across the different fBS. Then, we calculated a receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve to determine the performance of each parameter in the fBS classification. Finally, we investigated the development of parameters over gestation through linear regression. As a result, the parameters derived from the HRV have a higher classification accuracy compared to those derived from the body movement as defined by the actogram. However, the overlapping distributions of several parameters across states limit a clear separation of states based on these parameters. The changes over gestation of the HRV parameters reflect the maturation of the fetal autonomic nervous system. Given the higher classification accuracy of the HRV in comparison to the actogram, we suggest to focus further research on the HRV. Furthermore, we propose to develop probabilistic fBS classification approaches to improve classification in less prototypical datasets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Semeia
- IDM/fMEG Center of the Helmholtz Center Munich at the University of Tübingen, University of Tübingen, German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Otfried-Müller-Str. 47, 72076, Tübingen, Germany. .,Graduate Training Centre of Neuroscience, International Max Planck Research School, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Katrin Sippel
- IDM/fMEG Center of the Helmholtz Center Munich at the University of Tübingen, University of Tübingen, German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Otfried-Müller-Str. 47, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.,Department of Internal Medicine IV, University Hospital of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Julia Moser
- IDM/fMEG Center of the Helmholtz Center Munich at the University of Tübingen, University of Tübingen, German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Otfried-Müller-Str. 47, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.,Graduate Training Centre of Neuroscience, International Max Planck Research School, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Hubert Preissl
- IDM/fMEG Center of the Helmholtz Center Munich at the University of Tübingen, University of Tübingen, German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Otfried-Müller-Str. 47, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.,Department of Internal Medicine IV, University Hospital of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Department of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, Interfaculty Centre for Pharmacogenomics and Pharma Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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Abstract
Maternal obesity is an established risk factor for poor infant neurodevelopmental outcomes; however, the link between maternal weight and fetal development in utero is unknown. We investigated whether maternal obesity negatively influences fetal autonomic nervous system (ANS) development. Fetal heart rate variability (HRV) is an index of the ANS that is associated with neurodevelopmental outcomes in the infant. Maternal-fetal magnetocardiograms were recorded using a fetal biomagnetometer at 36 weeks (n = 46). Fetal HRV was represented by the standard deviation of sinus beat-to-beat intervals (SDNN). Maternal weight was measured at enrollment (12-20 weeks) and 36 weeks. The relationships between fetal HRV and maternal weight at both time points were modeled using adjusted ordinary least squares regression models. Higher maternal weight at enrollment and 36 weeks were associated with lower fetal HRV, an indicator of poorer ANS development. Further study is needed to better understand how maternal obesity influences fetal autonomic development and long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes.
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Moser J, Schleger F, Weiss M, Sippel K, Semeia L, Preissl H. Magnetoencephalographic signatures of conscious processing before birth. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2021; 49:100964. [PMID: 34023644 PMCID: PMC8163957 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2021.100964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Revised: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The concept of fetal consciousness is a widely discussed topic. In this study, we applied a hierarchical rule learning paradigm to investigate the possibility of fetal conscious processing during the last trimester of pregnancy. We used fetal magnetoencephalography, to assess fetal brain activity in 56 healthy fetuses between gestational week 25 and 40, during an auditory oddball paradigm containing first- and second-order regularities. The comparison of fetal brain responses towards standard and deviant tones revealed that the investigated fetuses show signs of hierarchical rule learning, and thus the formation of a memory trace for the second-order regularity. This ability develops over the course of the last trimester of gestation, in accordance with processes in physiological brain development and was only reliably present in fetuses older than week 35 of gestation. Analysis of fetal autonomic nervous system activity replicates findings in newborns, showing importance of activity state for cognitive processes. On the whole, our results support the assumption that fetuses in the last weeks of gestation are capable of consciously processing stimuli that reach them from outside the womb.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Moser
- IDM/fMEG Center of the Helmholtz Center Munich at the University of Tübingen, University of Tübingen, German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Tübingen, Germany; Graduate Training Centre of Neuroscience, International Max Planck Research School, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Franziska Schleger
- IDM/fMEG Center of the Helmholtz Center Munich at the University of Tübingen, University of Tübingen, German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Tübingen, Germany
| | - Magdalene Weiss
- IDM/fMEG Center of the Helmholtz Center Munich at the University of Tübingen, University of Tübingen, German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Tübingen, Germany; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Katrin Sippel
- IDM/fMEG Center of the Helmholtz Center Munich at the University of Tübingen, University of Tübingen, German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Tübingen, Germany; Department of Internal Medicine IV, University Hospital of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Lorenzo Semeia
- IDM/fMEG Center of the Helmholtz Center Munich at the University of Tübingen, University of Tübingen, German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Tübingen, Germany; Graduate Training Centre of Neuroscience, International Max Planck Research School, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Hubert Preissl
- IDM/fMEG Center of the Helmholtz Center Munich at the University of Tübingen, University of Tübingen, German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Tübingen, Germany; Department of Internal Medicine IV, University Hospital of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; Department of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, Interfaculty Centre for Pharmacogenomics and Pharma Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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11
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DiPietro JA, Watson H, Raghunathan RS, Henderson JL, Sgambati FP, Pien GW. Fetal neuromaturation in late gestation is affected by maternal sleep disordered breathing and sleep disruption in pregnant women with obesity. Int J Gynaecol Obstet 2021; 157:181-187. [PMID: 33969483 DOI: 10.1002/ijgo.13738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Revised: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Maternal sleep disordered breathing and sleep disruption have adverse effects on pregnancy outcomes through multiple potential pathophysiologic pathways. We hypothesize that disordered maternal sleep also adversely impacts the neuromaturation of the fetus. METHODS Participants in this prospective observational study included 102 obese pregnant women (pre-pregnancy body mass index [BMI] of 30 or higher) at 36 weeks of pregnancy. Fetal neuromaturation, defined through measures of fetal heart rate variability, motor activity, and motor-cardiac coupling, was quantified through digitized fetal actocardiography during an afternoon recording. Maternal sleep measures were collected overnight through polysomnography. Data analysis focused on multiple regression, controlling for maternal BMI, blood pressure, and diabetes. RESULTS Indicators of higher sleep disordered breathing were associated with delayed fetal neuromaturation and greater fetal motor activity. Less maternal sleep disruption (shorter rapid eye movement [REM] latency, more REM sleep, and/or fewer transitions) was associated with higher fetal heart rate variability and coupling-based neuromaturation. CONCLUSION Characteristics of disordered maternal sleep affect the developing fetal nervous system. It is unknown whether these results extend to populations that are not characterized by obesity. The influence of maternal sleep on the developing fetal nervous system has been understudied and may yield effects that persist beyond pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janet A DiPietro
- Department of Population, Family & Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Heather Watson
- Department of Population, Family & Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Radhika S Raghunathan
- Department of Population, Family & Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Janice L Henderson
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Gynecology & Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Francis P Sgambati
- Center for Interdisciplinary Sleep Research and Education, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Grace W Pien
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
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12
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Dalrymple KV, Tydeman FAS, Taylor PD, Flynn AC, O’Keeffe M, Briley AL, Santosh P, Hayes L, Robson SC, Nelson SM, Sattar N, Whitworth MK, Mills HL, Singh C, Seed CStat PT, White SL, Lawlor DA, Godfrey KM, Poston L. Adiposity and cardiovascular outcomes in three-year-old children of participants in UPBEAT, an RCT of a complex intervention in pregnant women with obesity. Pediatr Obes 2021; 16:e12725. [PMID: 32914569 PMCID: PMC7116719 DOI: 10.1111/ijpo.12725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Revised: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Maternal obesity is associated with offspring cardiometabolic risk. UPBEAT was a randomised controlled trial of an antenatal diet and physical activity intervention in 1555 women with obesity. The intervention was associated with lower gestational weight gain, healthier diet and metabolic profile in pregnancy, and reduced infant adiposity at six months. OBJECTIVE We have investigated whether the UPBEAT intervention influenced childhood cardiometabolic outcomes or was associated with sustained improvements in maternal lifestyle 3-years after delivery. METHODS In UPBEAT mother-child dyads at the 3-year follow-up, we assessed childhood blood pressure, resting pulse rate, and adiposity (body mass index, skinfold thicknesses, body fat, waist and arm circumferences) and maternal diet, physical activity, and anthropometry. RESULTS 514 three-year-old children attended the appointment (49% intervention, 51% standard care). There was no difference in the main outcome of interest, subscapular skinfold thickness, between the trial arms (-0.30 mm, 95% confidence interval: -0.92, 0.31). However, the intervention was associated with a lower resting pulse rate (-5 bpm [-8.41, -1.07]). There was also a non-significant lower odds of overweight/obesity (OR 0.73; 0.50, 1.08). Maternal dietary improvements observed in the UPBEAT trial, including glycaemic load and saturated fat were maintained 3-years postpartum. CONCLUSION This study has demonstrated that an antenatal dietary and physical activity intervention in women with obesity is associated with lower offspring pulse rate and sustained improvement in maternal diet. Whilst larger than previous cohorts, there remains potential for bias from attrition and these findings require validation in future cohorts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn V Dalrymple
- Department of Women and Children’s Health, School of Life Course Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College London, UK
| | - Florence AS Tydeman
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Faculty of Science, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK
| | - Paul D Taylor
- Department of Women and Children’s Health, School of Life Course Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College London, UK
| | - Angela C Flynn
- Department of Women and Children’s Health, School of Life Course Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College London, UK
| | - Majella O’Keeffe
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, School of Life Course Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College London, UK
| | - Annette L Briley
- Department of Women and Children’s Health, School of Life Course Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College London, UK
| | - Paramala Santosh
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King’s College London, UK
| | - Louise Hayes
- Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Stephen C Robson
- Institute of Cellular Medicine, Uterine Cell Signalling Group, The Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Scott M Nelson
- School of Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, UK, NIHR Bristol Biomedical Research Centre, Bristol, UK
| | - Naveed Sattar
- Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, British Heart Foundation, Glasgow, Cardiovascular Research Centre, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Melissa K Whitworth
- Maternity Services, Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, St Mary’s Hospital, Manchester, UK
| | - Harriet L Mills
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol, UK, Population Health Science, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Claire Singh
- Department of Women and Children’s Health, School of Life Course Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College London, UK
| | - Paul T Seed CStat
- Department of Women and Children’s Health, School of Life Course Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College London, UK
| | - Sara L White
- Department of Women and Children’s Health, School of Life Course Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College London, UK
| | - Deborah A Lawlor
- NIHR Bristol Biomedical Research Centre, Bristol, UK, MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol, UK, Population Health Science, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Keith M Godfrey
- MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit and NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, UK
| | - Lucilla Poston
- Department of Women and Children’s Health, School of Life Course Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College London, UK
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13
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Nutrition in Reproductive Health: Nutritional Conditioning Factors during Pregnancy and Its Impact on Health. REPRODUCTIVE MEDICINE 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/reprodmed1030013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
During the gestational period, women need to have optimal health to meet fetal requirements for growth and development. Nutrition is one of the most important factors that can ensure a mother`s health and also that of their offspring. The role of maternal diet, before and during pregnancy, has been associated with adverse birth outcomes and a worsening of maternal health. Medical conditions that are closely related to dietary intake and may affect women before or during pregnancy have also been associated with the appearance of pathology in a newborn. To date, several studies have been carried out in order to identify the role of diet as a factor associated with child physiological and psychological health, both in the short and long term. Educating mothers regarding the influence of maternal dietary intake during pregnancy on infants’ health could represent a simple but effective target for public health policies to improve pregnancy nutrition, and therefore help to avoid newborn diseases through the development.
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14
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Magnetoencephalographic signatures of hierarchical rule learning in newborns. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2020; 46:100871. [PMID: 33122158 PMCID: PMC7585041 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2020.100871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2020] [Revised: 09/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Estimating the extent to which newborn humans process input from their environment, especially regarding the depth of processing, is a challenging question. To approach this problem, we measured brain responses in 20 newborns with magnetoencephalography (MEG) in a "local-global" auditory oddball paradigm in which two-levels of hierarchical regularities are presented. Results suggest that infants in the first weeks of life are able to learn hierarchical rules, yet a certain level of vigilance seems to be necessary. Newborns detected violations of the first-order regularity and displayed a mismatch response between 200-400 ms. Violations of the second-order regularity only evoked a late response in newborns in an active state, which was expressed by a high heart rate variability. These findings are in line with those obtained in human adults and older infants suggesting a continuity in the functional architecture from term-birth on, despite the immaturity of the human brain at this age.
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15
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Associations of Maternal Prepregnancy Body Mass Index and Gestational Weight Gain With Physical Fitness in Childhood. Pediatr Exerc Sci 2020; 32:165-171. [PMID: 32460244 DOI: 10.1123/pes.2020-0004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2020] [Revised: 03/30/2020] [Accepted: 04/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To investigate the potential associations of maternal prepregnancy body mass index (mppBMI) and gestational weight gain (GWG) with physical fitness in children. METHODS A random sample of 5125 children and their mothers was evaluated. The mothers provided data contained in their medical booklets and pregnancy ultrasound records. The data from 5 physical fitness tests (eg, 20-m shuttle run, 30-m sprint, vertical jump, standing long jump, and small ball throw) were used to assess children's cardiorespiratory fitness, speed, explosive power, and lower and upper body strength, respectively. RESULTS MppBMI was inversely associated with cardiorespiratory fitness (b = -0.02), lower body strength (b = -1.01), upper body strength (b = -0.07), and speed (b = 0.04). Also, GWG was unfavorably associated with cardiorespiratory fitness (b = -0.02), lower body strength (b = -1.12), upper body strength (b = -0.03), and speed (b = 0.03), after adjusting for sex, birth weight, and children's BMI (all P values < .05). Children of mothers with an mppBMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 and excess GWG had almost 30% and 20% increased odds for low performances in physical fitness tests than those of mothers with an mppBMI < 25 kg/m2 and adequate GWG, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Antenatal factors such as increased mppBMI and excess GWG could play an unfavorable role in the future health of the offspring.
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16
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Bauer I, Hartkopf J, Kullmann S, Schleger F, Hallschmid M, Pauluschke-Fröhlich J, Fritsche A, Preissl H. Spotlight on the fetus: how physical activity during pregnancy influences fetal health: a narrative review. BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med 2020; 6:e000658. [PMID: 32206341 PMCID: PMC7078670 DOI: 10.1136/bmjsem-2019-000658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Before and during pregnancy, women often aim to improve their lifestyle so as to provide a healthier environment for their developing child. It remains unresolved, however, as to whether physical activity (PA) during pregnancy poses a possible risk or whether it might even have beneficial effects on the developing child. There is increasing evidence that PA during pregnancy is indeed beneficial to maternal physiological and psychological health and that it is generally not detrimental to the fetal cardiovascular system and neuronal function in the developing child. This also led to international recommendations for PAs during pregnancy. In the current review, we aimed to comprehensively assess the evidence of beneficial and harmful effects of maternal PA, including high-performance sports, on fetal development. The different mental and body-based relaxation techniques presented here are frequently performed during pregnancy. We found a considerable number of studies addressing these issues. In general, neither low key, moderate maternal PA nor relaxation techniques were observed to have a harmful effect on the developing child. However, we identified some forms of PA which could have at least a transient unfavourable effect. Notably, the literature currently available does not provide enough evidence to enable us to make a general conclusive statement on this subject. This is due to the lack of longitudinal studies on the metabolic and cognitive effects of regular PA during pregnancy and the wide diversity of methods used. In particular, the kind of PA investigated in each study differed from study to study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilena Bauer
- Institute for Diabetes Research and Metabolic Diseases (IDM) of the Helmholtz Center Munich at the University of Tübingen/fMEG Center, Tübingen, Germany
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD e.V.), University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Julia Hartkopf
- Institute for Diabetes Research and Metabolic Diseases (IDM) of the Helmholtz Center Munich at the University of Tübingen/fMEG Center, Tübingen, Germany
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD e.V.), University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Stephanie Kullmann
- Institute for Diabetes Research and Metabolic Diseases (IDM) of the Helmholtz Center Munich at the University of Tübingen/fMEG Center, Tübingen, Germany
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD e.V.), University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Department of Internal Medicine IV, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetology, and Nephrology, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Franziska Schleger
- Institute for Diabetes Research and Metabolic Diseases (IDM) of the Helmholtz Center Munich at the University of Tübingen/fMEG Center, Tübingen, Germany
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD e.V.), University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Manfred Hallschmid
- Institute for Diabetes Research and Metabolic Diseases (IDM) of the Helmholtz Center Munich at the University of Tübingen/fMEG Center, Tübingen, Germany
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD e.V.), University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Neurobiology, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | | | - Andreas Fritsche
- Institute for Diabetes Research and Metabolic Diseases (IDM) of the Helmholtz Center Munich at the University of Tübingen/fMEG Center, Tübingen, Germany
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD e.V.), University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Department of Internal Medicine IV, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetology, and Nephrology, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Hubert Preissl
- Institute for Diabetes Research and Metabolic Diseases (IDM) of the Helmholtz Center Munich at the University of Tübingen/fMEG Center, Tübingen, Germany
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD e.V.), University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Department of Internal Medicine IV, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetology, and Nephrology, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Department of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences; Interfaculty Centre for Pharmacogenomics and Pharma Research, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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