The factors regulating growth of the developing lung are poorly understood, although the degree of fetal lung expansion is critical. The oncogene Trop2 (trophoblast antigen 2) is upregulated during accelerated fetal lung growth, and we hypothesized that it may regulate normal fetal lung growth. We investigated Trop2 expression in the fetal and neonatal sheep lung during accelerated and delayed ...

The fetal liver is located at the crossroads of the umbilical venous circulation. Anatomically, the ductus venosus (DV) and the intrahepatic branches of the portal vein are arranged in parallel. The actual DV shunting rate, i.e. the percentage of umbilical blood flow entering the DV measured by Doppler velocimetry, seems to be lower than that estimated using radioactively-labeled microspheres. ...

BACKGROUND Fetal Growth Restriction is often associated with a feto-placental vascular dysfunction conceivably involving endothelial cells. Our study aimed to verify this pathogenic role for feto-placental endothelial cells and, coincidentally, demonstrate any abnormality in the nitric oxide system. METHODS Prenatal assessment of feto-placental vascular function was combined with measurement ...

Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is a common pregnancy complication that affects up to 5% of pregnancies worldwide. Recent studies demonstrate that Vitamin D deficiency is implicated in reduced fetal growth, which may be rescued by supplementation of Vitamin D. Despite this, the pathway(s) by which Vitamin D modulate fetal growth remains to be investigated. Our own studies demonstrate that the Vi...

Non-reassuring fetal status is a term used to describe suspected etal hypoxia and is meant to replace the more ubiquitous term fetal distress.” Fetal distress, defined as progressive fetal hypoxia nd/or acidemia secondary to inadequate fetal oxygenation, is a erm that is used to indicate changes in fetal heart patterns, reduced etal movement, fetal growth restriction, and presence of mecoium st...

OBJECTIVE Maternal depression and anxiety have been found to negatively affect fetal and neonatal growth. However, the independent effects of maternal depression and anxiety on fetal-neonatal growth outcomes and trajectories remain unclear. This study aimed to analyze simultaneously the effects of maternal prenatal depression and anxiety on (1) neonatal growth outcomes, and (2), on fetal-neonat...

Fetal growth is an important risk factor for infant morbidity and mortality. In turn, socioeconomic status is a key predictor of fetal growth; however, other sociodemographic factors and environmental effects may also be important. This study modelled geographic variation in poor fetal growth after accounting for socioeconomic status, with a fixed effect for socioeconomic status and a combinati...

Fetal growth restriction can affect health outcomes in postnatal life. This study tested the hypothesis that response to an inflammatory pulmonary insult is altered pediatric fetal restricted rats. Using a low-protein diet during gestation and life, growth-restricted male female rats healthy control were exposed via intratracheal instillation of heat-killed bacteria. After 6 h, animal lungs exa...