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Fetal Undernutrition and Oxidative Stress: Influence of Sex and Gender

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Book cover Handbook of Famine, Starvation, and Nutrient Deprivation

Abstract

Low birth weight is increasing worldwide. In poor societies, this is linked to maternal undernutrition and in high-income countries it is mainly due to gestational complications associated with the delay in first pregnancy. In both situations, the consequence is fetal undernutrition and deficient growth. In addition to the high risk of perinatal mortality and morbidity, low birth weight has long-term health consequences, increasing the risk of cardiometabolic disease development. The process that associates a deficient fetal growth with a higher risk of adult disease is known as fetal programming. In addition to undernutrition, other stress factors during intrauterine life – such as exposure to toxic substances – also contribute to programming. All of them are known to disrupt the physiological systems responsible for cardiovascular and metabolic control, being oxidative stress a common denominator. Fetal responses to stress factors seem to be modulated by sex. Under adverse intrauterine conditions, females exhibit a better placental adaptation and fetal growth. Later on, during fertile life, estrogens also represent a biological advantage for females, due to their cardiovascular protective actions. However, gender-related factors, such as social or cultural inequities, are likely to counteract the better biological adaptation of females. Sex and gender are often difficult to separate and their relative influence in fetal programming is still far from being understood. Additional research is needed to design-specific interventions and policies in order to reduce the impact of fetal programing on cardiometabolic health in future generations.

David Ramiro-Cortijo and Pilar Rodríguez-Rodríguez contributed equally to this work.

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Abbreviations

BMI:

Body Mass Index

CMD:

Cardiometabolic disease

CVD:

Cardiovascular disease

GPX:

Glutathione peroxidase

GR:

Glutathione reductase

GSH:

Reduced Glutathione

HPA:

Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal axis

IUGR:

Intrauterine growth restriction

LBW:

Low birth weight

MDA:

Malondialdehyde

NO:

Nitric oxide

RAAS:

Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone system

RNS:

Reactive nitrogen species

ROS:

Reactive oxygen species

SNS:

Sympathetic nervous system

SOD:

Superoxide dismutase

T2DM:

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

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Author notes

    Authors and Affiliations

    1. Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, C/ Arzobispo Morcillo 2, 28029, Madrid, Spain

      David Ramiro-Cortijo, Pilar Rodríguez-Rodríguez, Ángel L. López de Pablo, Mª Carmen González & Silvia M. Arribas

    2. Department of Preventive Medicine, Public Heath and Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, C/ Arzobispo Morcillo 2, 28029, Madrid, Spain

      Mª Rosario López-Giménez

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    1. David Ramiro-Cortijo
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    2. Pilar Rodríguez-Rodríguez
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    3. Ángel L. López de Pablo
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    4. Mª Rosario López-Giménez
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    5. Mª Carmen González
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    6. Silvia M. Arribas
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    Correspondence to Silvia M. Arribas .

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    Editors and Affiliations

    1. Diabetes & Nutritional Sci Div Sch, King's College London, London, United Kingdom

      Victor Preedy

    2. Clinical Biochemistry, University of Westminster, Westminster, United Kingdom

      Vinood B. Patel

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    Ramiro-Cortijo, D., Rodríguez-Rodríguez, P., de Pablo, Á.L.L., López-Giménez, M.R., González, M.C., Arribas, S.M. (2017). Fetal Undernutrition and Oxidative Stress: Influence of Sex and Gender. In: Preedy, V., Patel, V. (eds) Handbook of Famine, Starvation, and Nutrient Deprivation. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-40007-5_32-1

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    • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-40007-5_32-1

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    • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-40007-5

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