Prakash K. Sahoo, Sathish Kumar Natarajan
Maternal obesity has become a common metabolic dysfunction among reproductive age women affecting at least 1 in 5 women. Pregnancy complicated with maternal obesity is associated with adverse outcomes to both mother and the fetus. Maternal obesity increases the risk of adverse pregnancy outcome including pre‑eclampsia, fetal growth restriction and overgrowth and stillbirth. Recent studies show that children born to obese mother have increased adiposity and are vulnerable to develop metabolic syndromes later in their life. Placenta, which plays an important part during pregnancy and fetal development has become a major research focus of scientists around the world for its impact on fetal health. Increased evidence suggest that a maternal obesogenic environment influences placental normal function and in turn programs the developing fetus towards adverse health outcomes in adult life. Here, we briefly discuss how maternal obesogenic environment impacts placental functions and influence child health later in life.
