Placenta Can Influence Baby’s Risk Of Developing Diseases Later In Life – Studies Reveal

The placenta is a vital organ that connects the mother and the baby during pregnancy. It provides oxygen, nutrients, hormones, and antibodies to the baby, and removes waste products from the baby’s blood. The placenta also plays a crucial role in shaping the baby’s future health and development.

It is an organ that forms during pregnancy and serves several essential functions:

Nutrient and Oxygen Supply: The placenta acts as a bridge between the mother and the developing fetus, providing a means for the transfer of nutrients, oxygen, and other essential substances from the mother’s bloodstream to the baby. These nutrients and oxygen are necessary for the baby’s growth, development, and overall health.

Waste Elimination: In addition to nutrient and oxygen supply, the placenta also facilitates the removal of waste products, such as carbon dioxide, from the baby’s bloodstream. It acts as a filtering system, ensuring the removal of waste substances that could be harmful to the developing baby.

Hormone Production: The placenta produces hormones that are vital for maintaining a healthy pregnancy. For example, it secretes human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), which supports the production of other hormones like estrogen and progesterone. These hormones are crucial for sustaining the pregnancy and preparing the mother’s body for childbirth.

Immune Protection: The placenta acts as a barrier that helps protect the developing baby from certain harmful substances, such as bacteria, viruses, and some toxins. It acts as a filter, preventing the direct transmission of these substances to the baby.

Immunological Programming: Research suggests that the placenta also plays a role in programming the baby’s immune system. It helps educate the baby’s developing immune cells, providing them with essential information about the mother’s immune system and establishing a foundation for the baby’s immune responses after birth.

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However, recent studies have shown that the placenta can influence the baby’s risk of developing diseases later in life, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and mental disorders. The placenta can also affect the baby’s brain development, cognitive abilities, and behaviour.

How does the placenta do this? One of the mechanisms is epigenetics, which is the study of how environmental factors can modify the expression of genes without changing their DNA sequence. The placenta can alter the epigenetic marks on the baby’s genes, which can affect how they function and interact with each other.

For example, the placenta can regulate the levels of a hormone called cortisol in the baby’s blood. Cortisol is a stress hormone that can have positive or negative effects on the body depending on its amount and timing. Too much or too little cortisol can impair the development of the baby’s organs, especially the brain. The placenta can also influence the levels of other hormones, such as thyroid hormones, growth hormones, and insulin-like growth factors.

Another mechanism is through microbiome, which is the collection of microorganisms that live in and on our bodies. The placenta has its own microbiome, which can differ from the mother’s microbiome. The placenta’s microbiome can affect the baby’s immune system, metabolism, and brain development.

For example, some bacteria in the placenta can produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which are beneficial compounds that can modulate inflammation, glucose metabolism, and neuronal activity. The placenta can also transfer some of its microbes to the baby during birth or breastfeeding, which can shape the baby’s microbiome and health.

The placenta is not only important for the baby’s future, but also for the mother’s future health. The placenta can reflect the mother’s health status and lifestyle during pregnancy, such as her diet, stress level, smoking habit, and exposure to environmental toxins. The placenta can also indicate if there are any complications during pregnancy or delivery, such as preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, or preterm birth.

These complications can have long-term consequences for both the mother and the baby. For example, preeclampsia is a condition where the mother develops high blood pressure and protein in her urine during pregnancy. Preeclampsia can affect the blood flow to the placenta and reduce its function. This can lead to poor fetal growth, low birth weight, and increased risk of cardiovascular disease later in life for both mother and baby.

The placenta is a remarkable organ that deserves more attention and research. It is not only a temporary support system for the baby during pregnancy, but also a lifelong influence on their health and development. By understanding how the placenta works and how it interacts with other factors, we can improve our prenatal care and prevent or treat diseases that may arise later in life.

BY DAYO ADESULU

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