Determination of Maternal and Neonatal Apelinemia in Obese Women During Pregnancy

Background :

Apelin and its receptor APJ have been implicated in pathologies including cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity.

Little is known about the function of the apelinergic system during gestation.

In a previous study, investigators evaluated in mice this system at the feto-maternal interface in insulin-resistant obese female (HF) mice. Maternal apelinemia was decreased at term and fetal apelinemia was sixfold higher than maternal level. Ex-vivo, the placenta releases high amount of apelin at E12.5 and E18.5. In HF pregnant mice at term, apelinemia as well as placental apelin and APJ mRNA levels were increased whereas placental release of apelin was drastically reduced.

Inclusion criteria

• Obese pregnant women
• Age from 18 to 42 years old
• Singleton pregnancy between 35+0 to 41+6 weeks of pregnancy

Exclusion criteria

• Severe heart, liver or kidney disease
• Multiple pregnancy
• Hypertension, preeclampsia, small for gestational age
• Pre-gestational diabetes
• Bariatric surgery
• Medication other than normal pregnancy supplementations
• Tabacco or drugs consummation during pregnancy
• Provided artificial feeding
• Fetal anoxia with cord pH less than 7.0
• Genetic or chromosomal mother's and / or newborn's abnormality
• Fetal malformation
• Trusteeship or tutorship
• Refusal to participate in research
• Unable to attend the entire study