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Sheikh J, Allotey J, Kew T, Khalil H, Galadanci H, Hofmeyr GJ, Abalos E, Vogel JP, Lavin T, Souza JP, Kaur I, Ram U, Betran AP, Bohren MA, Oladapo OT, Thangaratinam S. Vulnerabilities and reparative strategies during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period: moving from rhetoric to action. EClinicalMedicine 2024; 67:102264. [PMID: 38314056 PMCID: PMC10837549 DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2023.102264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Maternal outcomes throughout pregnancy, childbirth, and the postnatal period are influenced by interlinked and interdependent vulnerabilities. A comprehensive understanding of how various threats and barriers affect maternal and perinatal health is critical to plan, evaluate and improve maternal health programmes. This paper builds on the introductory paper of the Series on the determinants of maternal health by assessing vulnerabilities during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postnatal period. We synthesise and present the concept of vulnerability in pregnancy and childbirth, and map vulnerability attributes and their dynamic influence on maternal outcomes in early and late pregnancy and during childbirth and the postnatal period, with a particular focus on low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We summarise existing literature and present the evidence on the effects of various reparative strategies to improve pregnancy and childbirth outcomes. Lastly, we discuss the implications of the identified vulnerability attributes and reparative strategies for the efforts of policymakers, healthcare professionals, and researchers working towards improving outcomes for women and birthing people in LMICs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jameela Sheikh
- College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - John Allotey
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Global Women’s Health, Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
- National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Tania Kew
- College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Halimah Khalil
- College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Hadiza Galadanci
- Africa Center of Excellence for Population Health and Policy, College of Health Sciences, Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria
| | - G Justus Hofmeyr
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana
- University of the Witwatersrand and Walter Sisulu University, East London, South Africa
| | - Edgardo Abalos
- Centro de Estudios de Estado y Sociedad (CEDES), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Joshua P. Vogel
- Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Tina Lavin
- UNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP), Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - João Paulo Souza
- Department of Social Medicine, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
- BIREME, Evidence and Intelligence for Action in Health Department, Pan America Health Organization/World Health Organization, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Inderjeet Kaur
- Fernandez Hospital Educational & Research Foundation, Hyderabad, India
| | - Uma Ram
- Seethapathy Clinic & Hospital, Chennai, India
| | - Ana Pilar Betran
- UNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP), Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Meghan A. Bohren
- Gender and Women’s Health Unit, Nossal Institute for Global Health, School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Olufemi T. Oladapo
- UNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP), Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Shakila Thangaratinam
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Global Women’s Health, Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
- National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre, Birmingham, United Kingdom
- Birmingham Women’s Hospital, Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, United Kingdom
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Shi Y, Wang CC, Wu L, Zhang Y, Xu A, Wang Y. Pathophysiological Insight into Fatty Acid-Binding Protein-4: Multifaced Roles in Reproduction, Pregnancy, and Offspring Health. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12655. [PMID: 37628833 PMCID: PMC10454382 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241612655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Fatty acid-binding protein-4 (FABP4), commonly known as adipocyte-fatty acid-binding protein (A-FABP), is a pleiotropic adipokine that broadly affects immunity and metabolism. It has been increasingly recognized that FABP4 dysfunction is associated with various metabolic syndromes, including obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and metabolic inflammation. However, its explicit roles within the context of women's reproduction and pregnancy remain to be investigated. In this review, we collate recent studies probing the influence of FABP4 on female reproduction, pregnancy, and even fetal health. Elevated circulating FABP4 levels have been found to correlate with impaired reproductive function in women, such as polycystic ovary syndrome and endometriosis. Throughout pregnancy, FABP4 affects maternal-fetal interface homeostasis by affecting both glycolipid metabolism and immune tolerance, leading to adverse pregnancy outcomes, including miscarriage, gestational obesity, gestational diabetes, and preeclampsia. Moreover, maternal FABP4 levels exhibit a substantial linkage with the metabolic health of offspring. Herein, we discuss the emerging significance and potential application of FABP4 in reproduction and pregnancy health and delve into its underlying mechanism at molecular levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Shi
- The Second Clinical Medical School, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100078, China; (Y.S.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Chi-Chiu Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong;
- Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, School of Biomedical Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong-Sichuan University Joint Laboratory in Reproductive Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Liqun Wu
- Department of Pediatrics, Dongfang Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100078, China;
| | - Yunqing Zhang
- The Second Clinical Medical School, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100078, China; (Y.S.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Aimin Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong;
- Department of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Yao Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong;
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