Fetal Health

Fetal programming and adult health.

Low birthweight is now known to be associated with increased rates of coronary heart disease and the related disorders stroke, hypertension and non-insulin dependent diabetes. These associations have been extensively replicated in studies in different countries and are not the result of confounding variables. They extend across the normal range of birthweight and depend on lower birthweights in...

Fetal health surveillance in labour.

OBJECTIVE This guideline defines the standards pertaining to the application and documentation of fetal surveillance in labour that will decrease the incidence of birth asphyxia while maintaining the lowest possible rate of obstetrical intervention. Both high- and low-risk obstetrical populations are considered. It is intended that this guideline could be used by all persons providing intrapart...

A maternal duty to protect fetal health?

Fetal Programming of Health and Development

The fetal programming and developmental origins of disease models suggest that experiences that occur before birth can have consequences for physical and mental health that persist across the lifespan. Development is more rapid during the prenatal period as compared to any other stage of life. This introductory article considers evidence that fetal exposure to stress and stress hormones influen...

Impact of maternal obesity on fetal health.

The obesity epidemic is a problem of global importance with a profound impact on maternal-fetal health. Maternal overweight and obesity causes pregnancy complications such as gestational diabetes, hypertension and preeclampsia and affects fetal growth. Maternal obesity offers an altered genetic, hormonal and biochemical environment for the developing fetus/embryo and influences fetal growth and...