The hypothesis on Fetal and Infant Origins of Adult Disease proposes that an altered in utero environment may impair fetal development and physiological function, increasing susceptibility to disease in adulthood. Previous studies demonstrated that reduced fetal growth predisposes to adult cardiovascular diseases. Maternal smoking and high altitude are also linked to reduced fetal growth and ad...

BACKGROUND Data from the study of the British 1958 birth cohort, National Child Development Study (NCDS), has allowed wider investigation of the relationship between retarded fetal growth and risk of adult hypertension. METHODS A history of self-reported hypertension was related to fetal growth in 3308 parous cohort members. Fetal growth, the measure used, is the difference in actual birthwei...

OBJECTIVE In women with hyperglycemia due to heterozygous glucokinase (GCK) mutations, the fetal genotype determines its growth. If the fetus inherits the mutation, birth weight is normal when maternal hyperglycemia is not treated, whereas intensive treatment may adversely reduce fetal growth. However, fetal genotype is not usually known antenatally, making treatment decisions difficult. HIST...

Clinical decisions are often based on the results of third trimester sonograms, particularly with small or large babies and so accuracy of estimating fetal weight (EFW) is essential. There are numerous EFW formula available and yet in Australia no one formula has been recommended for use due to the lack of clinical evidence as to their accuracy. Objectives: 1 To assess inter/intra observer erro...

BACKGROUND Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) occurs in 3-5% of all pregnancies. GDM increases both maternal and fetal risks, causes fetal macrosomia, and hence increases the rates of caesarean sections and delivery complications such as shoulder dystocia. An early predictive marker and consequent early treatment could be beneficial, so amniotic fluid insulin and C-peptide have been examined i...

The aim of this study was to evaluate the interobserver reliability of sonographic fetal weight estimation between experienced obstetrician and radiologist immadiately prior to delivery and to compare the sonographic accuracies of estimated fetal weights (EFW) between the sonographers. This was a prospective study of singleton pregnancies that underwent sonographic fetal weight estimation prior...

The "fetal origins hypothesis" or concept of "developmental programming" suggests that faltering fetal growth and subsequent catch-up growth are implicated in the aetiology of cardiovascular disease. Associations between reduced birth weight, rapid postnatal weight gain, and asthma suggest that there are fetal origins to respiratory disease. The present paper first summarises the literature rel...

PURPOSE To establish a correlation between testicular position and fetal weight, in order to provide an additional prenatal parameter for fetal weight estimation. MATERIALS AND METHODS We studied 288 testes from 144 human fetuses. The fetuses were assessed as regards weight, total length, crown-rump length and foot length. Fetal age was calculated according to the foot length criteria. The po...