D P Misra1, C M Salafia, R K Miller, A K Charles. 1. Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Family Medicine and Public Health Sciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Room 203, Detroit, MI 48201, USA. dmisra@med.wayne.edu
Abstract
GOALS: Fetal growth depends on placental growth; the fetoplacental weight ratio (FPR) is a common proxy for the balance between fetal and placental growth. Male and female infants are known to have differing vulnerabilities in fetal life, during parturition and in infancy. We hypothesized that these differences may be paralleled by differences in how birth weight (BW) and the fetoplacental weight ratio (FPR) are affected by changes in placental proportions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Placental proportion measures (disk shape, larger and smaller chorionic diameters, chorionic plate area calculated as the area of an ellipse with the 2 given diameters, disk thickness, cord eccentricity and cord length) were available for 24,601 participants in the Collaborative Perinatal Project delivered between >34 and <43 completed weeks. The variables were standardized and entered into multiple automated regression splines (MARS 2.0, Salford Systems, Vista CA) to identify nonlinearities in the relationships of placental growth measures to BW and FPR with results compared for male and female infants. RESULTS: Changes in chorionic plate growth in female compared to male infants resulted in a greater change in BW and FPR. The positive effects of umbilical cord length on BW reversed at the mean umbilical cord length in females and at +0.08 SD in male infants. CONCLUSIONS: Female infants' BW and FPR are each more responsive to changes in placental chorionic plate growth dimensions than males; this may account for greater female resilience (and greater male vulnerability) to gestational stressors. The effect of umbilical cord length on FPR may be due to longer cords carrying greater fetal vascular resistance. Again male fetuses show a higher "threshold" to the negative effects of longer cords on FPR.
GOALS: Fetal growth depends on placental growth; the fetoplacental weight ratio (FPR) is a common proxy for the balance between fetal and placental growth. Male and female infants are known to have differing vulnerabilities in fetal life, during parturition and in infancy. We hypothesized that these differences may be paralleled by differences in how birth weight (BW) and the fetoplacental weight ratio (FPR) are affected by changes in placental proportions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Placental proportion measures (disk shape, larger and smaller chorionic diameters, chorionic plate area calculated as the area of an ellipse with the 2 given diameters, disk thickness, cord eccentricity and cord length) were available for 24,601 participants in the Collaborative Perinatal Project delivered between >34 and <43 completed weeks. The variables were standardized and entered into multiple automated regression splines (MARS 2.0, Salford Systems, Vista CA) to identify nonlinearities in the relationships of placental growth measures to BW and FPR with results compared for male and female infants. RESULTS: Changes in chorionic plate growth in female compared to male infants resulted in a greater change in BW and FPR. The positive effects of umbilical cord length on BW reversed at the mean umbilical cord length in females and at +0.08 SD in male infants. CONCLUSIONS: Female infants' BW and FPR are each more responsive to changes in placental chorionic plate growth dimensions than males; this may account for greater female resilience (and greater male vulnerability) to gestational stressors. The effect of umbilical cord length on FPR may be due to longer cords carrying greater fetal vascular resistance. Again male fetuses show a higher "threshold" to the negative effects of longer cords on FPR.
Authors: S H Alwasel; Z Abotalib; J S Aljarallah; C Osmond; S M Alkharaz; I M Alhazza; A Harrath; K Thornburg; D J P Barker Journal: Placenta Date: 2011-03-22 Impact factor: 3.481
Authors: Miguel Angel Luque-Fernandez; Cande V Ananth; Vincent W V Jaddoe; Romy Gaillard; Paul S Albert; Michael Schomaker; Patrick McElduff; Daniel A Enquobahrie; Bizu Gelaye; Michelle A Williams Journal: Eur J Epidemiol Date: 2015-01-29 Impact factor: 8.082
Authors: Amy R Nichols; Andrew G Rundle; Pam Factor-Litvak; Beverly J Insel; Lori Hoepner; Virginia Rauh; Frederica Perera; Elizabeth M Widen Journal: J Dev Orig Health Dis Date: 2019-09-05 Impact factor: 2.401
Authors: Tracy Punshon; Zhigang Li; Brian P Jackson; W Tony Parks; Megan Romano; David Conway; Emily R Baker; Margaret R Karagas Journal: Environ Int Date: 2019-03-07 Impact factor: 9.621
Authors: Alexa A Freedman; Carol J Hogue; Carmen J Marsit; Augustine Rajakumar; Alicia K Smith; Robert L Goldenberg; Donald J Dudley; George R Saade; Robert M Silver; Karen J Gibbins; Barbara J Stoll; Radek Bukowski; Carolyn Drews-Botsch Journal: Pediatr Dev Pathol Date: 2018-07-16
Authors: Carolyn M Salafia; Ruchit G Shah; Dawn P Misra; Jennifer K Straughen; Drucilla J Roberts; Larry Troxler; Simon P Morgan; Barbara Eucker; John M Thorp Journal: Placenta Date: 2017-08-30 Impact factor: 3.481
Authors: N R Winder; G V Krishnaveni; S R Veena; J C Hill; C L S Karat; K L Thornburg; C H D Fall; D J P Barker Journal: Placenta Date: 2011-09-14 Impact factor: 3.481