Placental glucocorticoid transport in obesity-complicated pregnancy: A literature review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37800/RM.2.2025.512Keywords:
obesity, pregnancy, placenta, glucocorticoids, fetal impact, perinatal outcomesAbstract
Relevance: As obesity is highly prevalent among women of reproductive age and has numerous negative consequences for both the mother and her offspring, and since this epidemic affects women from marginalized populations in different ways, it is critically important to understand the mechanisms behind these effects. This understanding is necessary to develop targeted preventive and therapeutic strategies to improve community outcomes.
The study aimed to investigate the impact of maternal obesity on glucocorticoid transport across the placenta and identify potential alterations in placental mechanisms regulating glucocorticoid transfer to understand their influence on fetal development and ensure maternal and child health.
Methods: English-language articles were selected using PubMed and Scopus databases with keywords and medical subject headings, focusing on publications from 2015 to 2023. The studies included were conducted following the applicable ethical principles. The analysis included 13 articles addressing the pathogenesis, etiology, and impact of obesity during pregnancy on placental glucocorticoid transport.
Results: Glucocorticoids, steroid hormones primarily produced by the adrenal glands, are key mediators of stress responses. While the acute and chronic effects of pharmacological glucocorticoid excess are well known (including hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, dysphoria, and suppression of immune, inflammatory, and cognitive functions), their role in the biology of the stress response is more nuanced, with balanced homeostatic effects that promote short-term survival and recovery from challenges.
Conclusion: Our findings showed no significant changes in plasma levels of malondialdehyde and protein carbonyls in the group of obese mothers; however, a decrease in catalase activity was observed. Catalase is a key antioxidant responsible for neutralizing free radicals and converting end products of lipid peroxidation into inactive forms. The reduction in catalase activity observed in maternal obesity may be due to impaired antioxidant responses or depletion of antioxidant reserves resulting from prolonged exposure to reactive oxygen species.
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