Obesity is a growing public health concern worldwide, particularly among women of reproductive age [1]. Maternal obesity is associated with a range of adverse pregnancy outcomes – it can aff

Obesity is a growing public health concern worldwide, particularly among women of reproductive age [1]. Maternal obesity is associated with a range of adverse pregnancy outcomes – it can affect fetal development and program long-term health outcomes in the offspring [1]. The specific mechanisms between maternal obesity and adverse pregnancy outcomes are not fully understood; but may involve excessive inflammation in the placenta [2].
Inflammation is the body’s immune response to injury, infection, or other harmful stimuli; however, it is also a critical aspect of a successful pregnancy [2]. Indeed, higher levels of inflammatory cytokines such as IL- 1ß, IL-6, IN-y and TNF-a are observed in the circulation of pregnant women compared to non-pregnant women [3]. On the other hand, excessive levels of inflammation can be harmful [2, 3].
The placenta plays a critical role in pregnancy by facilitating nutrient and gas exchange between the maternal and fetal circulation [41. There is some evidence that maternal obesity may increase inflammation in the placenta, which, in turn, can contribute to development of adverse outcomes [4].
AIM: To compare the level of placental inflammation in obese and normal pregnancy in mid-gestation.
PROJECT: Rats were fed either a control (CON) diet or a cafeteria-style diet (CAF) of human snack foods from 8 weeks prior to and during pregnancy. Consumption of the CAF diet induced obesity by
about 25% prior to pregnancy [5]. Placental tissues were obtained on day 15 of gestation (term = 23
days) from each of these groups. Maternal obesity reduced fetal and placental weight, potentially through placental dysfunction. We will use quantitative PCR to determine whether maternal obesity altered placental tissue inflammatory gene expression in mid-pregnancy.
References
Sebire, N., Jolly, M., Harris, J. et al. Maternal obesity and pregnancy outcome: a study of 287 213 pregnancies in London. Int J Obes 25, 1175-1182 (2001).
Schmatz, M., Madan, J., Marino, T. et al. Maternal obesity: the interplay between inflammation, mother and fetus. J Perinatol 30, 441-446 (2010).
Madan, J. C., Davis, J. M., Craig, W. Y., et al. Maternal obesity and markers of inflammation in pregnancy. Cytokine, 47, 61-64 (2009).
Roberts, K. A., Riley, S. C., Reynolds, R. M., et al. Placental structure and inflammation in pregnancies associated with obesity. Placenta, 32, 247-254 (2011).
Crew, R. C., Waddell, B. J., & Mark, P. J. Maternal obesity induced by a ‘cafeteria’ diet in the rat does not increase inflammation in maternal, placental or fetal tissues in late gestation. Placenta, 39, 33-40 (2016).
BASED ON THE INFORMATION AND REFERENCES ABOVE, FORM A HYPOTHESIS AND EXPLAIN WHY THE EXPERIMENT IS REQUIRED TO BE CONDUCTED ON DAY 15 OF GESTATION COMPARED TO THE EXPERIMENT DONE IN THE 5TH REFERENCE WHICH DID IT ON DAY 21 OF GESTATION (KNOWLEDGE GAP).