Impaired lipid homoestasis in diabetes: intrauterine effects

A. JAWERBAUM

Congreso; Simposio: Gestational Diabetes and Obesity. V SLIMP – Latin American Symposium on Maternal Fetal Interaction and Placenta; 2013

Lipids are crucial structural and bioactive components that sustain embryo, fetal and placental development and growth. Intrauterine development in maternal diabetes can be disturbed by impairments in maternal lipid homeostasis that lead to abnormal lipid concentrations in the fetal circulation. Deficiency in essential fatty acids can lead to congenital malformations and visual and cognitive problems in the newborn. On the other hand, excessive mother-to-fetus fatty acid transfer can induce fetal overgrowth and lipid overacummulation in different fetal organs and tissues. The placenta plays a fundamental role in the transfer of lipid moieties to the fetal compartment and is affected by maternal diseases associated with impaired lipid homeostasis. Postnatal consequences may be evident in the neonatal period or later in life.