The Placenta is the Center of the Chronic Disease Universe. Issue 4 (December 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Thornburg, K.L.; Marshall, N.
• Is Part Of: Obstetric anesthesia digest. Volume 36:Issue 4(2016:Dec.)
• Publication Date: 2016-12
• Subjects: Nonobstetric Maternal Disease -- Neonatal Morbidity and Mortality; Anesthesia in obstetrics -- Periodicals; Anesthesia in obstetrics -- Abstracts -- Periodicals; 617.968205
• DOI: 10.1097/01.aoa.0000504703.90321.cc
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0275-665X

Abstract

Abstract : ( Am J Obstet Gynecol 2015;213(suppl):S14–S20) This review article explores the potential role of the placenta in the development of chronic diseases later in life. It discusses studies reporting an inverse relationship between birthweight and chronic disease, leading to a better understanding of health and longevity in offspring. Researchers have long studied the mechanism by which compromised fetal development leads to the onset of certain diseases in adulthood. They refer to this as process as "programming." Research has shown that there are links between early life development and the incidence of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. One study by Barker and colleagues estimated that diabetes could be reduced by approximately 60% in a generation if children were born at the lowest risk birthweight and did not cross body mass index percentiles in childhood.