Adverse fetal and neonatal outcomes associated with a life-long high fat diet: role of altered development of the placental vasculature.

ABSTRACT: Maternal obesity results in a number of obstetrical and fetal complications with both immediate and long-term consequences. The increased prevalence of obesity has resulted in increasing numbers of women of reproductive age in this high-risk group. Since many of these obese women have been subjected to hypercaloric diets from early childhood we have developed a rodent model of life-long maternal obesity to more clearly understand the mechanisms that contribute to adverse pregnancy outcomes in obese women. Female Sprague Dawley rats were fed a control diet (CON--16% of calories from fat) or high fat diet (HF--45% of calories from fat) from 3 to 19 weeks of age. Prior to pregnancy HF-fed dams exhibited significant increases in body fat, serum leptin and triglycerides. A subset of dams was sa

SUBMITTER: Hayes EK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3307735 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature