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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
biochemistry, genetics and molecular biology
The sex-specific effects of famine on the association between placental size and later hypertension
Placenta, Volume 32, No. 9, Year 2011
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Description
Background: People who had low birth weight are at increased risk of hypertension. This may reflect fetal programming by undernutrition. Placental size is also associated with hypertension. Maternal undernutrition during the Dutch famine reduced placental surface area. We examined whether maternal undernutrition altered the relationship between placental size and later hypertension. Methods: Retrospective cohort study among 860 subjects born in Amsterdam during 1943-47. 216 subjects were taking anti-hypertensive medication. Birth records included placental length and breadth from which we calculated its area. Results: Among men who were not in utero during the famine hypertension was associated with a small placental surface area due to a small placental breadth, and with an oval-shaped surface. The OR for hypertension was 0.83 (95% CI 0.70 to 1.00) for a 40 cm 2 increase in surface area. Among men who were in utero during the famine hypertension was associated with a large placental surface area due to a large placental breadth, and with a round-shaped surface. The OR for hypertension was 1.34 (95% CI 0.99 to 1.80) for a 40 cm 2 increase in surface area. The associations between placental size and hypertension in men who were and were not in utero during the famine were significantly different (p values for interaction = 0.008 for placental surface area, 0.001 for the breadth and 0.01 for the difference in the two diameters). Among women hypertension was not associated with placental size. Conclusions: Our study provides the first direct evidence that changes in maternal diet during pregnancy alter the relationship between placental size and later hypertension among men but not women. We suggest that among men who were not in utero during the famine, hypertension was related to impaired implantation, whereas among men who were in utero during the famine it was related to compensatory expansion of the placental surface. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Authors & Co-Authors
van Abeelen, Annet F.M.
Netherlands, Amsterdam
Amsterdam Umc - University of Amsterdam
Netherlands, Utrecht
University Medical Center Utrecht
de Rooij, Susanne R.
Netherlands, Amsterdam
Amsterdam Umc - University of Amsterdam
Osmond, Clive
United Kingdom, Southampton
Mrc Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit
Painter, Rebecca C.
Netherlands, Amsterdam
Amsterdam Umc - University of Amsterdam
Veenendaal, Marjolein V.E.
Netherlands, Amsterdam
Amsterdam Umc - University of Amsterdam
Bossuyt, Patrick M.M.
Netherlands, Amsterdam
Amsterdam Umc - University of Amsterdam
Elias, Sjoerd Geert
Netherlands, Utrecht
University Medical Center Utrecht
Grobbee, Diederick E Egbertus
Netherlands, Utrecht
University Medical Center Utrecht
van der Schouw, Y. T.
Netherlands, Utrecht
University Medical Center Utrecht
Barker, David J.P.
United Kingdom, Southampton
Mrc Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit
Saudi Arabia, Riyadh
College of Medicine
Roseboom, Tessa J.
Netherlands, Amsterdam
Amsterdam Umc - University of Amsterdam
Statistics
Citations: 100
Authors: 11
Affiliations: 4
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1016/j.placenta.2011.06.012
ISSN:
01434004
e-ISSN:
15323102
Research Areas
Food Security
Maternal And Child Health
Noncommunicable Diseases
Sexual And Reproductive Health
Study Design
Cohort Study
Study Approach
Quantitative
Participants Gender
Male
Female