Maternal Glycemic Status and Longitudinal Fetal Body Composition and Organ Volumes Based on Three-Dimensional Ultrasonography.

Objective: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) increases the risk of fetal overgrowth as measured by two-dimensional ultrasonography. Whether fetal three-dimensional (3D) soft tissue and organ volumes provide additional insight into fetal overgrowth is unknown.

Research Design And Methods: We prospectively evaluated longitudinal 3D fetal body composition and organ volumes in a diverse U.

Genetic distance and ancestry proportion modify the association between maternal genetic risk score of type 2 diabetes and fetal growth.

Background: Maternal genetic risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D) has been associated with fetal growth, but the influence of genetic ancestry is not yet fully understood. We aimed to investigate the influence of genetic distance (GD) and genetic ancestry proportion (GAP) on the association of maternal genetic risk score of T2D (GRS) with fetal weight and birthweight.

Methods: Multi-ancestral pregnant women (n = 1,837) from the NICHD Fetal Growth Studies - Singletons cohort were included in the current analyses.

Multiethnic growth standards for fetal body composition and organ volumes derived from 3D ultrasonography.

Background: A major goal of contemporary obstetrical practice is to optimize fetal growth and development throughout pregnancy. To date, fetal growth during prenatal care is assessed by performing ultrasonographic measurement of 2-dimensional fetal biometry to calculate an estimated fetal weight. Our group previously established 2-dimensional fetal growth standards using sonographic data from a large cohort with multiple sonograms.

Placental accelerated aging in antenatal depression.

Background: Antenatal maternal depression is associated with poor pregnancy outcomes and long-term effects on the offspring. Previous studies have identified links between antenatal depression and placental DNA methylation and between placental epigenetic aging and poor pregnancy outcomes, such as preterm labor and preeclampsia. The relationship between antenatal depression and poor pregnancy outcomes may be partly mediated via placental aging.

Association of polygenic score and the involvement of cholinergic and glutamatergic pathways with lithium treatment response in patients with bipolar disorder.

Lithium is regarded as the first-line treatment for bipolar disorder (BD), a severe and disabling mental health disorder that affects about 1% of the population worldwide. Nevertheless, lithium is not consistently effective, with only 30% of patients showing a favorable response to treatment. To provide personalized treatment options for bipolar patients, it is essential to identify prediction biomarkers such as polygenic scores.

Association of Polygenic Score and the involvement of Cholinergic and Glutamatergic Pathways with Lithium Treatment Response in Patients with Bipolar Disorder.

Lithium is regarded as the first-line treatment for bipolar disorder (BD), a severe and disabling mental disorder that affects about 1% of the population worldwide. Nevertheless, lithium is not consistently effective, with only 30% of patients showing a favorable response to treatment. To provide personalized treatment options for bipolar patients, it is essential to identify prediction biomarkers such as polygenic scores.

Plasma Amino Acids in Early Pregnancy and Midpregnancy and Their Interplay With Phospholipid Fatty Acids in Association With the Risk of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: Results From a Longitudinal Prospective Cohort.

Objective: We prospectively evaluated plasma amino acids (AAs) in early pregnancy and midpregnancy and their interplay with phospholipid fatty acids (FAs) in association with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) risk.

Research Design And Methods: From a longitudinal pregnancy cohort of 2,802 individuals, concentrations of 24 plasma AAs at 10-14 and 15-26 gestational weeks (GW) were assessed among 107 GDM case subjects and 214 non-GDM control subjects. We estimated adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% CI for the associations of plasma AAs and the joint associations of plasma AAs and phospholipid FAs with GDM risk, adjusting for risk factors including age, prepregnancy BMI, and family history of diabetes.

Prenatal social support in low-risk pregnancy shapes placental epigenome.

Background: Poor social support during pregnancy has been linked to inflammation and adverse pregnancy and childhood health outcomes. Placental epigenetic alterations may underlie these links but are still unknown in humans.

Methods: In a cohort of low-risk pregnant women (n = 301) from diverse ethnic backgrounds, social support was measured using the ENRICHD Social Support Inventory (ESSI) during the first trimester.

Genomic study of maternal lipid traits in early pregnancy concurs with four known adult lipid loci.

Background: Blood lipids during pregnancy are associated with cardiovascular diseases and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in predominantly male European ancestry populations have identified genetic loci associated with blood lipid levels. However, the genetic architecture of blood lipids in pregnant women remains poorly understood.

Familial aggregation of stillbirth: A pedigree analysis of a matched case-control study.

Objective: To determine whether stillbirth aggregates in families and quantify its familial risk using extended pedigrees.

Design: State-wide matched case-control study.

Setting: Utah, United States.

The association between first-trimester omega-3 fatty acid supplementation and fetal growth trajectories.

Background: Prenatal omega-3 fatty acid supplementation, particularly docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid, has been associated with greater birthweight in clinical trials; however, its effect on fetal growth throughout gestation is unknown.

Objective: This study aimed to examine the association between first-trimester docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid supplementation and growth trajectories of estimated fetal weight and specific fetal biometrics measured longitudinally from the second trimester of pregnancy to delivery.

Study Design: In a multisite, prospective cohort of racially diverse, low-risk pregnant women, we used secondary data analysis to examine fetal growth trajectories in relation to self-reported (yes or no) first-trimester docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid supplementation.

Including diverse and admixed populations in genetic epidemiology research.

The inclusion of ancestrally diverse participants in genetic studies can lead to new discoveries and is important to ensure equitable health care benefit from research advances. Here, members of the Ethical, Legal, Social, Implications (ELSI) committee of the International Genetic Epidemiology Society (IGES) offer perspectives on methods and analysis tools for the conduct of inclusive genetic epidemiology research, with a focus on admixed and ancestrally diverse populations in support of reproducible research practices. We emphasize the importance of distinguishing socially defined population categorizations from genetic ancestry in the design, analysis, reporting, and interpretation of genetic epidemiology research findings.

Recreational physical activity before and during pregnancy and placental DNA methylation-an epigenome-wide association study.

Background: Physical activity (PA) prior to and during pregnancy may have intergenerational effects on offspring health through placental epigenetic modifications. We are unaware of epidemiologic studies on longitudinal PA and placental DNA methylation.

Objectives: We evaluated the association between PA before and during pregnancy and placental DNA methylation.

Placental multi-omics integration identifies candidate functional genes for birthweight.

Abnormal birthweight is associated with increased risk for cardiometabolic diseases in later life. Although the placenta is critical to fetal development and later life health, it has not been integrated into largescale functional genomics initiatives, and mechanisms of birthweight-associated variants identified by genome wide association studies (GWAS) are unclear. The goal of this study is to provide functional mechanistic insight into the causal pathway from a genetic variant to birthweight by integrating placental methylation and gene expression with established GWAS loci for birthweight.

Sex-specific placental gene expression signatures of small for gestational age at birth.

Introduction: Small for gestational age at birth (SGA), often a consequence of placental dysfunction, is a risk factor for neonatal morbidity and later life cardiometabolic diseases. There are sex differences in placental gene expression and fetal growth. Here, we investigated sex-specific associations between gene expression in human placenta measured using RNA sequencing and SGA status using data from ethnic diverse pregnant women in the NICHD Fetal Growth Studies cohort (n = 74).

Using polygenic scores and clinical data for bipolar disorder patient stratification and lithium response prediction: machine learning approach.

Background: Response to lithium in patients with bipolar disorder is associated with clinical and transdiagnostic genetic factors. The predictive combination of these variables might help clinicians better predict which patients will respond to lithium treatment.

Aims: To use a combination of transdiagnostic genetic and clinical factors to predict lithium response in patients with bipolar disorder.

Combining schizophrenia and depression polygenic risk scores improves the genetic prediction of lithium response in bipolar disorder patients.

Lithium is the gold standard therapy for Bipolar Disorder (BD) but its effectiveness differs widely between individuals. The molecular mechanisms underlying treatment response heterogeneity are not well understood, and personalized treatment in BD remains elusive. Genetic analyses of the lithium treatment response phenotype may generate novel molecular insights into lithium's therapeutic mechanisms and lead to testable hypotheses to improve BD management and outcomes.