Intrauterine programming of hypertension: nutrient-hormone interactions.

Geographic, retrospective, and prospective epidemiologic studies have revealed evidence that the environment in utero is a major determinant of later degenerative disease. Observations from Britain, Sweden, Jamaica, Australia, India, and China support the hypothesis that disproportionate retardation of fetal growth results in increased blood pressure and increased risk of cardiovascular mortality. On the basis of what has been a limited pool of observations linking maternal undernutrition and fetal growth retardation, it has been proposed that hypertension and coronary heart disease are "programmed" by nutrition status.