Adiponectin in mother-and-child couple: is there a relation with materno-foetal

AUTORI

ABSTRACT

To evaluate relationships between maternal and fetal adiponectin concentrations and lipoprotein and glycemic parameters in mother-and-child unity at birth, a study was performed with 90 women admitted in the delivery room after a free enlightened consent. Blood samples were taken simultaneously at delivery from mothers (peripheral venous) and newborns (umbilical cord) for glucose, cholesterol, triglyceride, and adiponectin determinations. Multiple correlations between different parameters were made. Adiponectin concentrations in cord blood were three times higher than in the mother’s blood, while total, HDL and LDL cholesterol concentrations were higher in mothers. We demonstrated a slight inverse correlation between maternal adiponectin and gestational age (P=0.026) and between maternal adiponectin and concentrations of triglycerides in mothers (P=0.066). On the other hand, there were positive correlations between adiponectin concentrations, both in mothers and newborns, and LDL cholesterol concentrations in newborns (P=0.0072 and P=0.028, respectively). We inferred that at the end of pregnancy the mother undergoes a situation of insulin resistance, with a decrease in adiponectin concentrations. This may cause the re-routing of her metabolites towards the fetus who under insulin sensitivity would use those metabolites for its metabolic needs. If maternal insulin resistance is higher because of obesity or diabetes, the fetus would receive more metabolites than necessary and would store them as long as its biosynthetic needs are met. This could lead to macrosomia at birth and to obesity afterwards.

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