Association of placental weight at birth with maternal whole blood concentration of heavy metals (cadmium, lead, mercury, selenium, and manganese): The Japan Environment and Children's Study (JECS).

BACKGROUND: Lifelong health is dependent on prenatal growth and development, influenced by the placental intrauterine environment. Charged with dual functions--exchange of oxygen and nutrients as well as a barrier against toxins--the placenta itself is susceptible to environmental exposure to heavy metals. OBJECTIVE: To examine the use of placenta weight as a biomarker for heavy metal exposure using a large Japanese cohort of pregnant women. METHODS: The placenta weight, as a biomarker of exposure to heavy metals (cadmium, lead, and mercury), was investigated using data from the Japan Environment and Children's Study (2011-2014). Selenium and manganese were included as factors directly affecting fetal growth or heavy metal toxicity. Maternal blood samples collected in the second or third trimester were used to measure heavy metal concentrations. The association between maternal blood metal concentrations and placenta weight was explored by applying Z scores and multivariable logistic regression analysis and classifying participants into quartiles (Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4) according to metal concentrations. RESULTS: This study included a total of 73,005 singleton pregnant women who delivered via live births and met the inclusion criteria. The median heavy metal concentrations in the maternal whole blood were 0.662 ng/g cadmium, 5.85 ng/g lead, 3.61 ng/g mercury, 168 ng/g selenium, and 15.3 ng/g manganese. Regression analysis revealed a significant correlation between placenta weight Z scores and maternal blood metal concentrations: cadmium, 0.0660 (standard error = 0.0074, p < 0.001); selenium, -0.3137 (standard error = 0.0276, p < 0.001); and manganese, 0.1483 (standard error = 0.0110, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: This study provides a robust examination of the association between heavy metal exposure and placenta weight. Cadmium and manganese showed a positive correlation with significant differences, whereas selenium showed a negative correlation. Essential elements notably affect placenta weight differently. No significant association was noted between lead or mercury and placenta weight.

Prenatal exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and growth parameters.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: It has long been known that airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) can negatively affect pregnancy and birth outcomes, such as birth weight, fetal development, and placental growth factors. However, similar studies yield divergent results. Our goal was to estimate the amount of monohydroxylated PAH (OH-PAH) metabolites in the urine of pregnant women/mothers and their newborns in relation to birth outcomes, such as placenta weight, Apgar 5', and the growth parameters of children up to the age of two. METHODS: Two cohorts of children born in 2013 and 2014 during the summer and winter seasons in the Czech Republic in the cities Karviná (N = 144) and Ceské Budejovice (N = 198), which differ significantly in the level of air pollution, were studied. PAH exposure was assessed by the concentration of benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) in the air and the concentration of 11 OH-PAH metabolites in the urine of newborns and mothers. Growth parameters and birth outcomes were obtained from medical questionnaires after birth and from pediatric questionnaires during the following 24 months of the child's life. RESULTS: Concentrations of B[a]P were significantly higher in Karviná (p < 0.001). OH-PAH metabolites were significantly higher in the mothers' as well as in the newborns' urine in Karviná and during the winter season. Neonatal length was shorter in newborns in Karviná (p < 0.001), but this difference evened out during the next 3 to 24 months. Compared to Ceské Budejovice, newborns in Karviná showed significantly lower weight gain between birth and three months after delivery. The OH-PAH metabolites in mothers' or newborns' urine did not affect birth weight. The presence of seven OH-PAH (top 25% of values of concentrations higher than the median) metabolites in the newborns' urine is associated with decreased length of newborn. Nine OH-PAH metabolites decreased placenta weight, which was the most significant, while seven OH-PAH metabolites decreased Apgar 5'. CONCLUSION: We have shown a possible connection between higher concentration of OH-PAH metabolites in newborns' urine and decreased length, head circumference, placenta weight, and Apgar 5', but not birth weight.

Maternal dietary patterns and placental outcomes among pregnant women in Los Angeles.

INTRODUCTION: Epidemiological studies have linked prenatal maternal diet to fetal growth, but whether diet affects placental outcomes is poorly understood. METHODS: We collected past month dietary intake from 148 women in mid-pregnancy enrolled at University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) antenatal clinics from 2016 to 2019. We employed the food frequency Diet History Questionnaire II and generated the Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI-2015), the Alternate Healthy Eating Index for Pregnancy (AHEI-P), and the Alternate Mediterranean Diet (aMED). We conducted T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in mid-pregnancy (1st during 14-17 and 2nd during 19-24 gestational weeks) to evaluate placental volume (cm3) and we measured placenta weight (g) at delivery. We estimated change and 95 % confidence interval (CI) in placental volume and associations of placenta weight with all dietary index scores and diet items using linear regression models. RESULTS: Placental volume in mid-pregnancy was associated with an 18.9 cm3 (95 % CI 5.1, 32.8) increase per 100 gestational days in women with a higher HEI-2015 (≥median), with stronger results for placentas of male fetuses. We estimated positive associations between placental volume at the 1st and 2nd MRI and higher intake of vegetables, high-fat fish, dairy, and dietary intake of B vitamins. A higher aMED (≥median) score was associated with a 40.5 g (95 % CI 8.5, 72.5) increase in placenta weight at delivery, which was mainly related to protein intake. DISCUSSION: Placental growth represented by volume in mid-pregnancy and weight at birth is influenced by the quality and content of the maternal diet.

Immune Dysfunction Mediated by the ceRNA Regulatory Network in Human Placenta Tissue of Intrahepatic Cholestasis Pregnancy.

Pregnancy-related intrahepatic cholestasis (ICP) is a serious complication with adverse perinatal outcomes of preterm labor, fetal distress, or stillbirth. As a result, it is important to investigate and identify the potential critical pathogenic mechanisms of ICP. First, we collected the placental tissues from the ICP with placental weight and fetal birth weight loss for the whole transcriptome sequencing. Then we analyzed the differentially expressed (DE) circRNAs (DEcircRNAs) by SRPBM, DElncRNAs by FRKM, DEmiRNAs by TPM, and DEmRNAs by TPM and RSEM. Based on differential expression of term pregnancy placental tissues from pregnancies impacted by ICP (n=7) as compared to gestational aged matched control tissues (n=5), the circ/lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) regulatory networks were constructed. The ceRNA regulatory networks covered 3,714 events, including 21 DEmiRNAs, 36 DEcircRNAs, 146 DElncRNAs, and 169 DEmRNAs. According to the functional analysis, ICP complications were linked to the immune system, signal transduction, endocrine system, cell growth and death, and transport and catabolism. Further evidence suggested that the expression of immune-related genes KLRD1, BRAF, and NFATC4 might have a potential ceRNA mechanism by individual lncRNA sponging miR372-3p, miR-371a-3p, miR-7851-3p, and miR-449a to control downstream the level of TNF-α, IFN-γ, and IL-10, thereby regulating the pathophysiology of ICP. Furthermore, our results were validated by the qRT-PCR, western blotting and ELISA assays. In conclusion, this study is the first to evaluate placental ceRNA networks in pregnancies affected by ICP, showing alterations in immune regulatory networks which may impact fetal and placental growth. Overall our these data suggest that the ceRNA regulatory network may refine biomarker predictions for developing novel therapeutic approaches in ICP.

Placental weight centiles adjusted for age, parity and fetal sex.

INTRODUCTION: The weight of the placenta can be indicative of efficacy in nutrient and oxygen supply. Furthermore, it has been suggested that a measure of the placenta's ability to adequately supply nutrients to the fetus can be found in the relationship between birth weight and placental weight expressed as a ratio. Our aim was to develop age adjusted placenta weight and birth weight to placenta weight ratio reference curves that are stratified by maternal parity and fetal sex. METHODS: We included singleton, non-anomalous births with a gestational age inclusive of 28 + 0 weeks to 42 + 6 weeks. Excluded were pregnancies of multiplicity, fetuses with congenital abnormalities, stillbirths and pregnancies that had placental complications (ie placenta previa or abruption). Generalised additive model for location, shape and scale (GAMLSS) was used to fit reference curves. RESULTS: We stratified 97,882 pregnancies by maternal nulliparity status and fetal sex. Extensive assessment model goodness-of-fit showed appropriate modeling and accurate fit to the four parameters of distribution. Our results show accurate model fit of the reference curves to the data. We demonstrated that the influence that parity has on the placenta weight is far greater than that exerted by fetal sex, and that the difference is dependent on gestational age. DISCUSSION: This is the largest presentation of age and parity adjusted placenta weight and feto-placental weight ratio reference ranges to date. The difference observed between nulliparous and multiparous pregnancies could be explained by biological memory and the remnants of maternal endo-myometrial vascularity after the first pregnancy.

Low placental growth factor levels and high soluble endoglin levels at 26-31 weeks of gestation precede light placenta with and without relatively heavy infant, respectively: A retrospective cohort study.

AIM: Our aim was to examine whether serum levels of placental growth factor (PlGF) and soluble endoglin (sEng) at 19-25 and 26-31 weeks of gestation were associated with the occurrence of the 9-block categorization of placenta weight (PW) and fetal/placenta ratio (F/P ratio). METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study in 1391 women with singleton pregnancy. Serum levels of PlGF and sEng were measured by enzyme immunosorbent assay. A light placenta was defined as PW ZS < -1.28 SD. Based on the PW (light, normal, and heavy) and F/P ratio (relatively heavy, balanced growth, and relatively small), 9-block categorization were performed. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed. RESULTS: Low PlGF at 26-31 weeks was an independent risk factor for the birth of infants belonging to Block A (light placenta and relatively heavy infant), after adjusting for prepregnancy body mass index and serum levels of sEng. High sEng at 26-31 weeks was an independent risk factor for the birth of infants belonging to Block D (light placenta and balanced growth of infant), after adjusting for past history of either preeclampsia or gestational hypertension, high pulsatility index of uterine artery flow velocity waveforms in the second trimester, and serum level of PlGF. CONCLUSIONS: Low PlGF levels at 26-31 weeks of gestation may precede a light placenta and relatively heavy infant (Block A), and high sEng levels at 26-31 weeks of gestation may precede a light placenta and balanced growth of infant (Block D).

Sex-specific associations of insulin-like peptides in cord blood with size at birth.

OBJECTIVE: Insulin-like peptides (insulin, IGF-1, IGF-2) are essential regulators of foetal growth. We assessed the role of these peptides for birth size in a sex-specific manner. DESIGN: Cross-sectional cohort analysis. PATIENTS AND MEASUREMENTS: In 369 neonates, cord blood insulin, C-peptide, IGF-1 and IGF-2 levels were measured. Outcomes were placenta weight, birthweight, length and ponderal index. In linear regression models, the association of insulin-like peptides with growth outcomes was assessed, adjusted for gestational age and delivery mode. Interaction between insulin-like peptides and neonatal sex was assessed. RESULTS: No sex differences in levels of insulin-like peptides were observed. Significant interactions were found of sex with IGF-1 for birthweight, and of sex with C-peptide for all outcomes, except ponderal index. The association of IGF-1 (ng/mL) with birthweight was stronger and only significant in males (beta coefficient 3.30 g; 95%CI 1.98-4.63 in males and 1.45 g; -0.09-2.99 in females). Associations of C-peptide (ng/mL) with growth outcomes were stronger and only significant in females (placenta weight females: 181.3 g; 109.3-253.3; P < .001, males: 29.8 g; -51.5-111.1; P = .47, birthweight females: 598.5 g; 358.3-838.7: P < .001, males: 113.7 g; -154.0-381.4; P = .40). Associations of IGF2 with birthweight were similar in males and females. No associations were found with ponderal index. CONCLUSIONS: C-peptide and IGF-1 in cord blood associate with birthweight, length and placenta weight in a sex-specific manner, with stronger associations of C-peptide levels with placenta weight, birthweight and length in females and stronger associations of IGF-1 levels with birthweight in males.

Birth weight to placenta weight ratio and its relationship to ultrasonic measurements, maternal and neonatal morbidity: A prospective cohort study of nulliparous women.

INTRODUCTION: Birth weight to placenta weight (BWPW)-ratio is an indicator of the ability of the placenta to maintain adequate nutrient supply to the fetus. We sought to investigate the relationship between BWPW-ratio with fetal growth, utero-placental Doppler and neonatal and maternal morbidity. METHODS: We studied a group of 3311 women recruited to a prospective cohort study of nulliparous women (Rosie Hospital, Cambridge, UK) who delivered a live born infant at term and whose placental weight and birth weight were known. Ultrasonic indices and BWPW ratio were converted to gestational age adjusted z scores. Analysis of continuous variables was by multivariable linear regression. BWPW ratio was also categorized (lowest or highest quintile, both referent to quintiles 2 to 4) and associations with adverse outcomes analyzed using multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: Lowest quintile of BWPW-ratio was associated (adjusted odds ratio [95% CI], P) with both neonatal morbidity (1.55 [1.12-2.14], 0.007) and maternal diabetes (1.75 [1.18-2.59], 0.005). Highest quintile of BWPW ratio was associated with a reduced risk of maternal obesity (0.71 [0.53 to 0.95], 0.02) and preeclampsia (0.51 [0.31 to 0.84], 0.008), but higher (adjusted z score [95% CI], P) uterine artery Doppler mean pulsatility index (PI) at 20 weeks of gestation (0.09 [0.01-0.18], 0.04) and umbilical artery Doppler PI at 36 weeks of gestation (0.16 [0.07-0.25], <0.001). CONCLUSION: BWPW-ratio is related to ultrasonic measurements and both neonatal and maternal morbidity. Therefore, this ratio may be an indicative marker of immediate and longer term health risks for an individual.

[Disproportion between placenta weight and birth weight: Physiologic or pathologic]. / Disproportion fœto-placentaire à terme : physiologique ou pathologique.

OBJECTIVES: To study risk factors, maternal and neonatal outcome with a high placental weight to birth weight ratio (PW/BW). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two groups of full term singleton pregnancies were created in this single centre retrospective population-based study (a high PW/BW above 0.25 and group control with normal PW/BW between 0.15 and 0.25). Maternal and neonatal outcomes were compared. RESULTS: Compared with the group with normal PW/BW ratios, the high PW/BW ratio group was associated with increased rates of pre-eclampsia (15.5% versus 1.7%, P<0.05) and small for gestational age (8% versus 0%, P<0.05). Neither maternal risk factors nor neonatal outcome difference were shown after adjusting confounding factors. CONCLUSION: High PW/BW with placentomegaly is associated with increased risk of pre-eclampsia at term underlying a mixture of condition in its pathogenesis.

Maternal prepregnancy obesity is associated with higher risk of placental pathological lesions.

INTRODUCTION: Prepregnancy obesity is associated with increased morbidity and mortality for mother and offspring. The objective of our study is to estimate the effect of maternal prepregnancy weight on placental pathological lesions.. METHODS: Data used for this study were from the U.S. Collaborative Perinatal Project, a large prospective cohort study. It consisted of 54390 women giving a singleton birth from 1959 to 1966. More than 84% of women had both detailed placental pathological examinations and anthropometric measurements. Logistic regression models were used to test the associations between maternal prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) and placental pathological lesions adjusting for potential confounders. Spline smoothing was applied to describe the relation of prepregnancy BMI and placenta weight-to-birthweight ratio. RESULTS: The prepregnancy obese women (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m(2)) showed a higher rate of maternal origin vascular lesions, maternal origin villous lesions, fetal neutrophilic infiltration, and meconium of fetal membrane compared with the normal-weight women (18.5 ≤ BMI < 24.9). The odds ratios ranged from 1.18 to 1.97 after adjusting for potential confounders. These higher odds were consistent in prepregnancy obese women without obstetric complications. Furthermore, placenta weight-to-birthweight ratio, the proxy for placenta insufficiency, was positively associated with maternal prepregnancy BMI.. CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides evidence that prepregnancy obesity exerts its adverse in-utero influence on placental pathology. These influences may have impact on maternal and fetal health. With obesity rising steadily, these results appear to raise serious public health concerns of prepregnancy obesity.

The Jamaican fetus: overview of various studies / El feto jamaicano: panorama de varios estudios

OBJECTIVE: To describe a series of studies conducted which investigated maternal nutrition and its effect on birth outcome. METHODS: Seven hundred and twelve women attending their first antenatal clinic visit at the University Hospital of the West Indies were invited to join a prospective study. The women were followed throughout their pregnancies and seen at 14, 17, 20, 25, 30 and 35 weeks gestation. At these visits, the mother's weight, height and triceps skinfold thickness were measured. Abdominal ultrasound was performed to determine placental and fetal growth. Birth and placental weight, head, chest, mid-upper arm and abdominal circumference, crown-rump and crown-heel length were measured. After delivery, mothers and their children were recruited into a longitudinal study of postnatal growth in which blood pressure was measured annually initially and then half yearly from age one year. RESULTS: The interrelationship of first trimester maternal weight, subsequent weight gain in pregnancy, placental weight in early pregnancy and fetal growth were reported. Placental volume was shown to be an earlier predictor of infant size, and placental volume and intrauterine life on birthweight and blood pressure in childhood showed a relationship to blood pressure at two to three years old. The ultrasound derived fetal growth curves for a Jamaican population was created. CONCLUSION: Maternal nutritional status has an important effect on fetal size and birthweight and fetal size has an effect on blood pressure in childhood, suggesting that the initiating events in programming of blood pressure occur early in pregnancy.

OBJETIVO: Describir una serie de estudios encaminados a investigar la nutrición materna y su efecto en el resultado del embarazo. MÉTODOS: Setecientos doce mujeres que asistían a su primera visita de la clínica prenatal en el Hospital Universitario de West Indies, fueron invitados a sumarse a un estudio prospectivo. Se realizó un seguimiento de las mujeres a lo largo de sus embarazos, con visitas en las semanas 14, 17, 20, 25, 30 y 35 de gestación. En estas visitas, se midió el peso, la altura y el grosor del pliegue cutáneo del tríceps. Se les realizó un ultrasonido abdominal con el fin de determinar el crecimiento placentario y fetal. Se midieron el peso al nacer y el peso de la placenta, la cabeza, el pecho, circunferencia del abdomen y la parte media superior del brazo, las longitudes céfalo-caudal y coronilla-talón. Después del parto, las madres y sus niños fueron reclutados para un estudio longitudinal de crecimiento postnatal en el que la presión sanguínea se mide anualmente, inicialmente y luego a mitad de año desde el primer año de edad. RESULTADOS: Se reportó la interrelación del peso materno en el primer semestre, el subsiguiente aumento de peso en el embarazo, el peso de la placenta al inicio del embarazo, y el crecimiento fetal. El volumen de la placenta resultó ser un predictor temprano del tamaño del infante, y el volumen de la placenta y la vida intrauterina en el peso al nacer, y la presión sanguínea en la infancia mostró una relación con la presión sanguínea a los dos hasta los tres años de edad. CONCLUSIÓN: El estado de la nutrición materna tiene un efecto importante en el tamaño del feto y el peso al nacer, y el tamaño del feto tiene un efecto sobre la presión sanguínea en la infancia, lo cual sugiere que los procesos que inician la programación de la presión sanguínea ocurren en una etapa temprana del embarazo.

Correlation between weight of placenta, time of placental delivery and rate of dead-born in piglets / Correlação entre o peso de placenta, o tempo de expulsão placentária e a taxa de nati-mortalidade em leitões / Correlación entre el peso de la placenta, tiempo de expulsión de la placenta y la tasa de muerte fetaç en lechones

In order to investigate the correlation between the placenta weight and other piglet intra-delivery parameters, a study of 90 newly-parturient primiparous sows was carried out in a swine farm near Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil. The animals were artificially inseminated with cooled semen produced in the farm. All the animals were readily assisted in the parturition as the obstetric aid was given for the placenta separation, placenta weighing, counting the piglet number and the classification of live, dead-born and mummified piglets. A total of 1,088 piglets and their placentas were studied. The gestation lasted on average 114 days. It was concluded that the weight of pig placenta did not show a correlation with the number of dead-born or the placenta expulsion time.

O presente experimento objetivou pesquisar a correlação entre o peso da placenta e outros parâmetros reprodutivos em 90 porcas primiparas recém paridas, em uma granja suinícola próxima à Curitiba, Paraná. Os animais eram inseminados artificialmente com sêmen resfriado, produzido na própria granja. Todos os animais eram prontamente assistidos na parturição, executando-se o auxílio obstétrico relativo à separação e às pesagens das placentas, a contagem do número de leitões e a classificação de vivos, natimortos e mumificados. Ao todo foram estudados 1088 leitões e as respectivas placentas. A gestação teve a duração media de 114 dias. Concluiu-se que o peso de placenta de marrãs, não demonstrou correlação com o número de natimortos, bem como com o tempo de expulsão da placenta.

Este experimento buscó investigar la correlación entre el peso de la placenta y otros parámetros reproductivos en 90 cerdas primíparas recién paridas en una granja de porcicultura cerca a Curitiba, Paraná. Los animales eran inseminados artificialmente con semen refrigerado, producido en la propia granja. Todos los animales eran prontamente asistidos en el parto, ejecutándose el auxilio obstétrico relativo a la separación y peso de las placentas, recuento del número de lechones y clasificación de los vivos, nacidos muertos y momificados. En su conjunto fueron estudiados 1088 lechones y sus respectivas placentas. El embarazo tuvo la duración media de 114 días. Se concluyó que el peso de la placenta de las cerdas jóvenes no ha demostrado correlación con el número de nacidos muertos, así como con el tiempo de expulsión de la placenta.