Under-nutrition and placental function

Schlabritz-Loutsevitch, N.E., Howell, K., Rice, K., Glover, E.J., Nevill, C.H., Jenkins, S.L., Cummins, L.B., Frost, P.A., McDonald, T.J. and Nathanielsz, P.W. (2004) Development of a system for individual feeding of baboons maintained in a group social environment. J. Med. Primatol. 33:1-10.

Schlabritz-Loutsevitch, N., Hubbard, G.B., Dammann,M.J., Jenkins, S.L., Frost, P.A., McDonald, T.J.,and Nathanielsz, P.W. (2004) Normal concentrations of essential and toxic elements in pregnant baboons and fetuses (Papio species). J.Med.Primatol. 33(3):152-62.

Schlabritz-Loutsevitch, N.E., Hubbard, G.B., Frost, P.A., Cummins, L.B., Dick, E.J., Jr., Nathanielsz, P.W. and McDonald, T.J. (2004) Abdominal pregnancy in a baboon: a first case report. J. Med. Primatol. 33(1): 55-59.

Extensive and compelling human epidemiological and animal experimental data have clearly shown that suboptimal nutrition during pregnancy leads to impaired placental development and impaired fetal growth and development predisposing and predisposes the offspring to a variety of chronic diseases in later life such as hypertension, diabetes, obesity, behavioral and reproductive problems. We have developed systems to regulate nutrient intake in several species and determine its effects on mother, placenta and fetus.

In the baboon a relatively modest restriction of global diet and intake to 70% of normal results in decrease in production of important growth factors that regulate placental and fetal growth. There are also changes in the control of the blood vessel function within the placenta. These studies are helping us to determine those factors which are critical in maintaining a good pregnancy in the presence of nutrient restriction and also enable us to suggest potential mechanisms to reverse problems caused for the fetus by under nutrition during pregnancy.