Carbon in air pollution may cross placenta, affect baby's health

Carbon particles in polluted air can travel through a mother's placenta to the foetal side, which may lead to future health complications as the baby develops, according to a study. A team of researchers including those from Hasselt University in Belgium identified the presence of black carbon particles that are part of combustion-derived particulate matter in all the placenta samples they screened from 28 new mothers.

The study suggests that the placenta, which is a temporary organ that presents a natural barrier between mother and foetus during the entire pregnancy may not be as impermeable to environmental pollutants as thought before.

The researchers used a new scanning technique to find carbon particles accumulated on the foetus-side of the placenta, close to where the umbilical cord begins.

The carbon particle load found in the placenta was positively associated with the residential exposure of the mothers to the pollutants during gestation, the study noted.

The results, according to the researchers, indicate that particulate matter in the environment can cross the placental barrier towards the foetus, even during early and vulnerable stages of pregnancy.

The researchers caution that the direct effects induced by combustion-related pollutants in the environment "are at least partially responsible for observed detrimental health effects from early life on-wards."

"If you think that these are problems of Asian mega-cities, read on -- data presented in this paper were collected in Belgium!" tweeted Gregor Kos, an atmospheric analytical chemist at Concordia University in Canada, who was not involved in the study.

A study conducted last year by researchers at Queen Mary University of London in the UK found evidence of tiny particles of carbon, typically created by burning fossil fuels, in placentas.

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Placenta health depends on maternal exercise

Do you know that exercising during pregnancy can keep your placenta healthy? A recent study shows that maternal exercise is important for fetal development in obese mothers.

Over 1.9 billion adults worldwide  are overweight or obese, and by 2-25 this is projected to increase to 2.7 billion. Obesity significantly raises the risk of developing 11 different types of cancer, stroke, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

The placenta performs nutrient and oxygen exchanges between the mother and her foetuses, and placental function is impaired due to maternal obesity, which is likely to later nutrient and oxygen delivery to the foetus.

Exercise during pregnancy is known to be beneficial for both maternal health and fetal development. This study found that exercise improved the function of the placenta, and also the metabolism of the mother. Importantly, they found that the babies were both born larger ( which is frequently associated with obesity and metabolic diseases in later life, when the obese mothers exercised.

This study was conducted on animal models. In this study, female mice were fed a healthy diet ( 10% energy from fat) or a high-fat diet to become obese and them mated. Each of the maternal groups was further divided into 2 sub-groups- those that did and did not perform exercise during gestation.
Mice were exercised from 0-18.5 days of pregnancy ( the term is 20.5 days) and placenta function and maternal and fetal changes were analysed.

Further studies will focus on identifying mechanisms explaining the beneficial effects of exercise on placental development of obese mothers. Researchers will define the possible role of chemicals secreted during exercise, on blood vessel development in the placenta, which is critical for the delivery of nutrients and oxygen to fetuses, as well as their long-term impacts on the health of next generation.

The senior author of the research said, understanding how maternal exercises might help prevent offspring from becoming obese or developing metabolic diseases will help us to best guide mothers so they can ensure their babies are as healthy as possible.

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New Blood Test May Help Predict Pre-term Birth

Researchers are working on a blood test that could be able to detect risk of spontaneous pre-term delivery.
According to a study,  five micro particle proteins found in first-trimester blood samples may give clues about the risk of spontaneous pre-term birth.

"Our goal is to develop prognostic markers for patients to help make predictions and offer highly personalised care to woman from early stages of pregnancy," said co-author.
 
According to researchers, nearly 10 per cent births are taking place before 37-week gestation against the normal 40 weeks. Pre-term birth can result in several conditions, including pre-term labour, early rupture of the placental membrane or preeclampsia.

Mothers with history of pre-term deliveries face higher risks. But predicting spontaneous pre-term birth is challenging, particularly in the case of first-time mothers, the team said.

For the study, researchers studied blood samples, collected toward the end of the first trimester of pregnancy, from three established bio-banks.

The team compared samples from 87 women who delivered at or before 35 weeks with samples from 174 women who delivered at term and were of the same age and at the same week of pregnancy at the time giving blood.

They analysed multiple circulating micro particles associated proteins and found that a subset of these proteins could help predict risks, both for the first-time mothers as well as those who had previously given birth. 

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Sperm Could Be a Bigger Factor in Miscarriages Than We've Been Led to Believe

We all know it takes two to tango, but even though males contribute half the genetics of a pregnancy, they are too often left out of the picture. This is especially true when it comes to studies on miscarriage and recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL).

A growing body of research is slowly revealing what an oversight that truly is. Because even though carrying a baby to term is commonly thought of as a female issue, that is almost certainly a misconception.

In reality, 60 percent of miscarriages are caused by genetic problem, and that suggests male sperm is also partly responsible.

Investigating the sperm quality of 50 males whose partners had experienced three or more consecutive miscarriages, a new study offers even more evidence that poor quality sperm may be an important risk factor for RPL.

Compared to 60 males whose partners had not experienced any miscarriages at all, the males involved in this study showed twice as much DNA damage in their sperm.

"Traditionally doctors have focused attention on women when looking for the causes of recurrent miscarriage. The men's health - and the health of their sperm, wasn't analysed," says lead author , an expert in reproductive endocrinology and andrology.

"However, this research adds to a growing body of evidence that suggests sperm health dictates the health of a pregnancy. For instance, previous research suggests sperm has an important role in the formation of the placenta, which is crucial for oxygen and nutrient supply to the fetus." 

Believe it or not, when it comes to RPL, this study is the first research to evaluate the hormonal and metabolic health of sperm. And while the sample size investigated may be small, the findings have given researchers several important clues to follow.

The authors are now proposing that sperm damage may be triggered by a reactive oxygen species (ROS), found in the fluid that bathes sperm.

These ROS molecules are typically beneficial, protecting sperm from bacteria and other infections. But if their concentration gets too high - say, after an infection - it can also cause significant damage.
In the sperm of males whose partners have suffered miscarriage, the authors found four times more of these molecules. And while they still aren't sure why this is happening, this is one of the most important hints to date as to what could be behind RPL.

As research in this area slowly begins to mature, there is increasing evidence that obesity and old age can lower sperm health. As a result, the team is looking at whether either of these factors can somehow trigger a proliferation of these damaging molecules.

It's not a bad hunch given that, on average, the male participants in this study whose partners had experienced miscarriages were slightly older and more overweight than the controls. If it's true, however, it also means we have been consistently overlooking a potentially major factor behind miscarriage.

Fewer than half of all miscarriages in the US have an identifiable cause , but while women with RPL are routinely screened for risk factors, current guidelines do not recommend the same for male partners.

"It has taken medicine a long time to realise sperm health has a role to play in miscarriage – and that the cause doesn't lie solely with women," says the author.

"Now we realise both partners contribute to recurrent miscarriage, we can hopefully get a clearer picture of the problem and start to look for ways of ensuring more pregnancies result in a healthy baby." 

This study has been published in  a medical journal.

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Caffeine in tea, coffee may be risky to foetus

Pregnant women who consume caffeine - whether it’s from coffee or tea - have smaller babies than those who abstain from the stimulant during pregnancy, new research suggests.

Even women who took in less than 200 milligrams of caffeine, the safe cutoff during pregnancy according to the doctors, had a significantly increased risk of delivering prematurely or having a low-birth weight baby.

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“Based on the consistent associations we observed, and because many pregnancies are unplanned, we would recommend women who are pregnant or seeking to become pregnant to at least limit their intakes of caffeinated coffee and tea,” lead study author said.

The study cannot prove cause and effect, he cautioned. But several previous studies have linked caffeine exposure in the womb to negative effects, the researchers said.

In most of those studies, coffee was the main caffeinated beverage consumed.

For the current study, the team looked at 941 mother-child pairs born in Ireland, where people drink more tea than coffee. Nearly half of the mothers in the study drank tea, while about 40 percent drank coffee.

Every additional 100 milligrams of caffeine consumed daily during the first trimester of pregnancy was associated with a 72-gram (2.5 ounce) lower birth weight, as well as significantly lower gestational age, birth length and head circumference.

Women who took in the most caffeine had babies weighing about 170 grams (6 ounces) less than those who consumed the least, the researchers found. Whether the caffeine came from coffee or tea made no difference to the results.

 “High caffeine intake can result in restricted blood flow in the placenta which may subsequently affect fetal growth,” the Dr. explained. “Caffeine can also cross the placenta readily, and because caffeine clearance slows as pregnancy progresses, caffeine accumulation may occur in fetal tissues.”

One 12-ounce cup (355 ml) of brewed coffee contains about 200 mg of caffeine, but tea generally contains less caffeine and the amount can vary by type of tea and how long it was brewed. The Lipton Tea company, for example, says its black tea contains about 83 mg caffeine in a 12-ounce cup.
The public doesn’t seem to recognize tea’s caffeine content, said the study’s senior author. “Thus, maternal intake of both tea and coffee need to be taken into account when trying to minimise overall caffeine intake during pregnancy. This is especially important where tea is the predominant caffeine source,” she told.

Doctor states that consuming less than 200 milligrams of caffeine per day in pregnancy “does not appear to be a major contributing factor in miscarriage or preterm birth.” The World Health Organization recommends that women consume less than 300 mg of caffeine daily in pregnancy.
 “This paper and other papers show that this is likely too high,” said a senior scientist. 

“Epidemiological findings based on self-reported caffeine consumption are usually not very precise. Thus, any cutoffs chosen by experts and WHO can only be considered as rough reference points. Biologically, it is unlikely that 300 mg is risky while 299 mg is safe,” the Dr. said .

“The message to women I would prefer would be ‘the less the better,’” the Dr. said. “Then the women can choose for themselves.”

Reports touting the health benefits of caffeine also need to include a caveat stating that it may be harmful in pregnancy, added the Dr., whose own research has linked caffeine consumption in pregnancy to miscarriage and childhood obesity. “My advice would be try to reduce as much as you can, if you can totally quit that would be even better.”

Researchers told  that it reviews all of its recommendations every 18 to 24 months, includes all new research in its reviews, and makes adjustments to recommendations as needed. “Until that time, ACOG’s current guidance still stands.”

We Might Finally Know The Cause of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Polycystic ovary syndrome is common, it can be debilitating, and it's the main cause of female infertility worldwide. Yet despite years of research and speculation, nobody was sure how it even starts - but now we finally have an exciting lead. 

 

For years, researchers assumed that the condition started in the ovaries, though recent research has found evidence to suggest it actually starts in the brain.

Now, a new study has struck a nice balance between both hypotheses, indicating that the path for polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) could be set before a girl is even born.

A team led by researchers has arrived at some tantalising results suggesting PCOS is developed when a hormone produced by the ovaries interacts with a set of neurons in the mother's brain.

The interaction can initiate a cascade effect, disrupting enzymes in the placenta and ultimately causing PCOS symptoms in the offspring. Given that PCOS tends to run in families, this explanation would make a lot of sense.

Polycystic ovary syndrome is a set of symptoms related to hormone imbalance that still has no universal definition. Women with the condition can experience weight gain, large ovarian cysts, difficulty ovulating, acne, facial hair, depression, and agonising and heavy periods.

Once women are diagnosed, which can often take years, treatment options are seriously limited, usually involving hormonal medication in the hopes it might alleviate the symptoms. Even with treatment, in the long-term PCOS can lead to metabolic disorders like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and even infertility.

But results from this new study have the potential to eventually change the way we view the condition, which affects one in 10 women worldwide.

This latest research focussed on the antimüllerian hormone (AMH), which is produced by follicles located on the outside of the ovary.

Previous research has shown that AMH could interact with neurons in the brain, which then cause the pituitary gland to release luteinizing hormone (LH) - the same hormone that surges at certain times of the month to trigger ovulation.

Women with PCOS, however, have constant high levels of LH, which inhibits ovulation and boosts the release of testosterone – two telltale signs of the condition.

To explore the role of AMH further, the researchers analysed the blood samples of four groups of women in their second trimester of pregnancy. These four groups included obese and non-obese women with and without PCOS.

Surprisingly, the team found that non-obese women who have PCOS had AMH levels that were about two to three times as high as in the other groups.

The researchers then moved on to mouse models so they could easily investigate how these high hormone levels might affect female offspring. They injected pregnant mice with the antimüllerian hormone, mimicking the hormonal imbalance they'd found in the women with PCOS.

Sure enough, after this AMH treatment the next generation of female mice developed symptoms that are very similar to PCOS - such as elevated testosterone levels and disrupted ovulation.

The team thinks that all this could be happening because having too much AMH could inhibit an enzyme in the placenta called aromatase, which normally works to convert testosterone into estrogen.
If that conversion doesn't happen as efficiently, the foetus in the womb could be exposed to way more testosterone than normal, leading to hormonal changes in the future.

It's a strong hypothesis, but scientists will need to continue working to figure out if what they've observed in mice really does happen in women, too. 

"Whether all these things happen in humans, we don't know," said a reproductive endocrinologist.

In this case, there is a key discrepancy between mouse models and human models: human placentas contain a lot more aromatase. The dissimilarity means that it could be harder for testosterone to overwhelm enzyme activity in humans.

Nevertheless, most researchers agree that testosterone levels, which are directly affected by AMH, play a key role in the development of PCOS.

A physiologist told there is "another brick in the wall" suggesting that hormones such as testosterone pave the way for PCOS in foetuses.

The researchers are now planning to investigate how offspring are affected when hormones like testosterone are regulated during pregnancy.

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