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Research has unveiled the influence of heredity on placental growth and its connection to an elevated risk of maternal illness. The placenta, a unique organ comprising both maternal and fetal tissue, develops alongside the fetus via the umbilical cord. It plays a crucial role in supplying oxygen and nutrients to the growing fetus while removing waste. Any dysfunction in the placenta is associated with pregnancy complications and an increased risk of child illness. Despite its vital importance, little is known about how the placenta regulates its own growth.
“Understanding placental growth is crucial, as infants with excessively small or large placentas face a higher risk of complications,” emphasized Professor Pal Rasmus Njolstad at the University of Bergen.
Njolstad, along with colleagues in the UK and Denmark, led a large-scale international collaboration to investigate placental growth in unprecedented detail. They conducted the first-ever genome-wide association study focusing on placental weight at birth, yielding several significant discoveries.
“In our findings published in Nature Genetics, we determined that accelerated placental growth can contribute to the risk of preeclampsia and lead to earlier delivery of the baby,” stated Njolstad.
The placenta is a critical organ during pregnancy, establishing a complex and vital connection between mother and baby.
“In our study, we’ve identified 40 variations in the genetic code associated with the potential size of a placenta, enhancing our comprehension of this crucial human organ. Many of these genetic variations also impact the baby’s weight, but a majority are primarily linked to placental growth,” explained Njolstad.
The team observed that when the fetus’s genetic code suggested a likelihood of larger placental growth, the mother faced a heightened risk of pre-eclampsia.
“This may be due to an excessively rapid placental growth, which can disrupt the equilibrium between the baby’s resource demands and the mother’s capacity to provide, potentially contributing to late-stage pre-eclampsia,” noted Njolstad.
Placental growth is intricately tied to the duration of pregnancy. Pre-eclampsia is a condition that can arise during pregnancy, resulting in elevated blood pressure and impaired function of certain maternal organs, such as the kidneys and liver.
Early detection is crucial to prevent severe health complications for both mother and baby, but the exact development of preeclampsia remains not fully understood.
“Our study proposes that accelerated placental growth heightens the risk of pre-eclampsia for the mother. This risk appears specific to placental growth, as we did not observe the same correlation when examining genetic factors related to baby weight,” stated Professor Rachel Freathy at the University of Exeter Medical School, a co-lead author of the study.
Faster placental growth also correlated with shorter pregnancies.
“We discovered that infants with a genetic predisposition for larger placentas were more likely to be born prematurely, underscoring the significance of exploring placental biology in studies regarding pregnancy duration and delivery timing,” highlighted another co-lead author, senior researcher and group leader, Bjarke Feenstra at the Copenhagen University Hospital and Statens Serum Institut in Denmark.
Insulin was identified as a key factor in placental growth. The study revealed a connection between insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar, and the growth of the placenta. The fetus produces insulin in response to glucose from the mother, which acts as a growth stimulant. This finding helps explain why placentas tend to be larger in pregnancies where the mother has elevated blood glucose due to diabetes.
