AI Article Synopsis

  • The study explores the relationship between serum levels of ketone bodies and human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) during pregnancy, examining their potential effects on neonatal body shape.
  • It finds that serum levels of 3-hydroxybutyric acid, a type of ketone body, peak in the third trimester, indicating a significant physiological change.
  • The analysis suggests that although higher ketone levels correlate with the later stages of pregnancy, they do not significantly impact neonatal body shape; instead, morning sickness may have protective benefits against weight-related health issues.

Article Abstract

Among the physiological changes occurring during pregnancy, the benefits of morning sickness, which is likely mediated by human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) and induces serum ketone production, are unclear. We investigated the relationship between serum levels of ketone bodies and HCG in the first, second, and third trimesters and neonatal body shape (i.e., birth weight, length, head circumference, and chest circumference) in 245 pregnant women. Serum levels of 3-hydroxybutyric acid peaked in late-stage compared with early stage pregnancy (27.8 [5.0−821] vs. 42.2 [5.0−1420] μmol/L, median [range], p < 0.001). However, serum levels of ketone bodies and HCG did not correlate with neonatal body shape. When weight loss during pregnancy was used as an index of morning sickness, a higher pre-pregnancy body mass index was associated with greater weight loss. This study is the first to show that serum ketone body levels are maximal in the third trimester of pregnancy. As the elevation of serum ketone bodies in the third trimester is a physiological change, high serum levels of ketone bodies may be beneficial for mothers and children. One of the possible biological benefits of morning sickness is the prevention of diseases that have an increased incidence due to weight gain during pregnancy.

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Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9099686PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/nu14091971DOI Listing

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