Aurora magazine

Women suffering from high blood pressure during pregnancy are more prone to preeclampsia, which leads to high risks for the child. A study shows that this condition is also dangerous for the mother. Those with high blood pressure during gestation are more likely to have heart attacks or strokes.

The research was funded by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) and presented at the British Cardiovascular Society Conference in Manchester. A team from the Universities of Cambridge and Bristol examined the data of 6.5 million women, collected between 1997 and 2015. Of these, over 276,000 had had problems with high blood pressure and 223,715 with preeclampsia.

The amount of data has allowed researchers to also examine the frequency of heart and cardiovascular diseases, including heart attacks and strokes. A woman with high blood pressure problems in pregnancy has a 45% chance of having a heart attack.

The percentage rises by 70%, if the woman has also suffered from preeclampsia. Under normal conditions, about 3 in 1,000 women suffer from heart and circulatory problems after pregnancy. With high blood pressure, the number rises to 5 per 1,000. With preeclampsia, it reaches 6 women out of 1,000. The percentages concerning the risk of stroke are even more serious. A woman who has high blood pressure during pregnancy is 80% more likely to have a stroke. The condition doubles the chances of having fatal cardiomyopathies. Knowing these data could save the lives of many women at risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Source: eurekalert.org

In our society, we consume large quantities of omega 6 fats, in particular linoleic acid. The latter is present in potato chips and vegetable oils. However, a study shows that excess of this substance can become dangerous in pregnancy. It appears to be associated with a higher rate of heart disease.

The research was published in The Journal of Physiology. Doctors recommend consuming linoleic acid about three times a week. The researchers analyzed the effects of the substance during pregnancy by subjecting guinea pigs to a diet rich in linoleic acid for 10 weeks. Then they made them mate and continued to analyze the effects of the diet on pregnancy.

The guinea pigs that followed the diet before and during gestation showed three changes:

• increased inflammatory proteins in the liver;
• higher levels of a protein that causes contractions of the uterus;
• reduction of a hormone that regulates the growth and development of the fetus.

All these changes are linked to increased complications and problems in fetal development. However, it is necessary to verify if the effects of linoleic acid are the same in rats and human beings.

If this were the case, pregnant women should reduce their consumption of omega 6 during pregnancy. Speaking of rats, the only variant with respect to the control group were the quantities of linoleic acid. Fat and sugar levels were normal, so you can't attribute any of these effects to them. When we talk about human beings, we must keep in mind that foods rich in omega 6 tend to be also fat and salty. This entails an additional health risk.

Source: physoc.org

Researchers from as many as four UK universities have identified 190 genetic factors that influence birth weight. The study could lead to the development of an ad hoc genetic test, which allows to calculate the risk of low weight. In fact, children who are too young at the time of birth are at risk in both the short and long term.

Birth weight is a determining factor for the child's health. This is why the researchers searched for any genetic anomalies related to the phenomenon. This led to the identification of the above genes, a quarter of which can be analyzed by maternal blood. A prenatal test would therefore be completely safe for the child.

The researchers studied 230,069 mothers and 321,223 children. They took note of birth weight and looked for common genetic abnormalities. They identified 190, of which 129 never reported previously. Furthermore, they identified a link between abnormalities, low birth weight and high blood pressure later in life.

The study in question is not the first on the subject. Another team examined the effects of placental genetic modulation on fetal development and childhood obesity. At that time, another link had emerged between birth weight and likelihood of becoming obese later in life. The results also identified alterations in the expression of some placental genes.

Source: news-medical.net

According to researchers at the University of Birmingham, progesterone could help against bleeding in the first months of gestation. Moreover, the chances of success would increase in those who have a history of spontaneous abortions behind.

The researchers involved 4,153 pregnant women with bleeding problems, average age 31 years. Early bleeding is usually linked to spontaneous abortion, which affects about one in five women. The researchers then administered progesterone to half of the women, while the other half received a placebo. In this way they tested a hypothesis that emerged during many small studies: does the hormone really reduce the risk of abortion?

The data show a modest improvement among women in the first group, especially among those who had experienced more spontaneous abortions. Compared to the control group, there was 4% more pregnancies. Out of 777 of them, 591 (76%) completed the pregnancy. Out of 738 of the control group, 534 (72%) pregnancies were completed. The role of progesterone during gestation has now been discussed for 60 years. Along with another study with about 4000 participants, this Birmingham confirms what was suspected: progesterone helps prevent spontaneous abortion.

A discovery that could help thousands of women who have lost one or more children, apparently without reason. The authors of the study hope that the discovery will help to renew the guidelines of the National Institute for Health.

Source: bham.ac.uk