Placental Nutrient Transporters and Maternal Fatty Acids in SGA, AGA, and LGA Newborns From Mothers With and Without Obesity.

Adverse environmental factors in early life result in fetal metabolic programming and increased risk of adult diseases. Birth weight is an indirect marker of the intrauterine environment, modulated by nutrient availability and placental transport capacity. However, studies of placental transporters in idiopathic birth weight alterations and in maternal obesity in relation to neonatal metabolic outcomes are scarce.

Association of placental nutrient sensing pathways with birth weight.

Birth weight (BW) is an important indicator for newborn health. Both high and low BW is associated with increased risks for adult metabolic diseases. AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase), mTOR (mechanistic target of rapamycin), and insulin/IGF1 (insulin-like growth factor 1) pathways may function as placental sensors of maternal hormonal and nutritional status.