Diabetes Mellitus, Obesity, and the Placenta

Gernot Desoye; Mila Cervar-Zivkovic

doi:10.1016/j.ogc.2019.11.001

Diabetes Mellitus, Obesity, and the Placenta

Obstet Gynecol Clin North Am. 2020 Mar;47(1):65-79. doi: 10.1016/j.ogc.2019.11.001. Epub 2019 Dec 18.

Authors

Gernot Desoye¹, Mila Cervar-Zivkovic²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 14, Graz 8036, Austria. Electronic address: gernot.desoye@medunigraz.at.
² Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 14, Graz 8036, Austria.

PMID: 32008672
DOI: 10.1016/j.ogc.2019.11.001

Abstract

The placenta is exposed to metabolic derangements in the maternal and fetal circulation. The effects of the early placental "exposome" determine further trajectories. Overstimulation of the fetal pancreas in early gestation results in fetal hyperinsulinemia, augmenting glucose transfer with adverse effects on the fetus. The manifold placental changes at the end of pregnancy can be regarded as adaptive responses to protect the fetus from diabetes and obesity. The causal role of the placenta, if any, in mediating long-term effects on offspring development is an important area of current and future research.

Keywords: Fetal phenotype; Glucose; Insulin; Placental development; Sexual dimorphism; Stress.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Blood Glucose / metabolism*
Diabetes, Gestational / metabolism*
Female
Fetal Development*
Humans
Insulin / blood*
Maternal-Fetal Exchange / physiology*
Obesity / metabolism*
Placenta / metabolism*
Pregnancy

Substances

Blood Glucose
Insulin