Differences in maternal and neonatal cardiometabolic markers and placenta status by foetal sex. The GESTAFIT project

• Published in: Women's health (London, England) Vol. 18; p. 17455057221117976
• Main Authors: Aparicio, Virginia A, Baena-García, Laura, Flor-Alemany, Marta, Martínez-González, Luis J, Varela-López, Alfonso, Sánchez, Cristina, Quiles, José L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 2022; Sage Publications Ltd; SAGE Publishing
• Subjects: Cholesterol; Cord blood; Density; Epidermal growth factor; Females; Fetuses; Fibroblast growth factor 2; Fibroblasts; Growth factors; Interleukin 8; Interleukins; Lipids; Males; Manganese; Maternal Health Considerations: Psychological Physiological Wellbeing; Minerals; Mitochondrial DNA; Neonates; Newborn babies; Placenta; Pregnancy; Sex; Telomeres; Triglycerides; Umbilical cord; Uric acid; Vascular endothelial growth factor; lipids; newborn; triglycerides; pregnancy; telomere; fibroblast Growth Factor
• ISSN: 1745-5057; 1745-5065
• DOI: 10.1177/17455057221117976

Aims:
To explore the differences in some maternal-neonatal metabolic markers and placenta status by foetal sex.
Methods:
One hundred thirty-nine Caucasian pregnant women from the GESTAFIT project and their new-borns were included in the present cross-sectional study. Serum cardiometabolic markers (i.e. lipid and glycaemic profile and uric acid) were analysed at late pregnancy and at birth. In placenta, telomeres length, proportion of deleted mitochondrial-DNA and mitochondrial-DNA density, some minerals and interleukin 8, epidermal growth factor, fibroblast growth factor-2 and vascular endothelial growth factor were measured. The study was run between November 2015 and April 2018.
Results:
Mothers carrying a male showed higher serum triglycerides than mothers carrying a female at late pregnancy (p < .05). Serum total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were greater in males’ umbilical cord blood artery compared to females’ new-borns (both, p < .05). Mothers of males and male new-borns presented higher uric acid than mothers of females and female new-borns at birth (p < .05). Female’s placentas presented greater placental-newborn weight ratio, manganese content and fibroblast growth factor-2 (all, p ⩽ .05), and evidence of statistical significance in telomeres length, which were 17% longer (p = .076).
Conclusion:
Our findings show weak differences in some cardiometabolic and placental status markers by foetal sex. Notwithstanding, we observed a slightly more proatherogenic profile in both, mothers carrying males’ foetuses and male new-borns. We also found lower serum uric acid and better placenta status in mothers carrying a female. These findings indicate that foetal sex might need to be considered for a more personalized follow-up of pregnancies.