孕期压力会造成胎儿发育不良

近日，据《生理学》杂志一项研究表明，母亲体内应激激素会影响胎儿发育。为了检测孕鼠在高压情况下是否会对其腹中胎儿有影响，实验对在不同时间内孕期的孕鼠服用糖皮质激素皮质甾酮，这些不同的时间是指孕鼠孕期11-16天内，孕期14-19天内。

研究者发现孕鼠糖皮质应激激素含量增加会引起孕鼠食量增大，但是因此会降低胎盘运输葡萄糖到胎儿的能力。这项研究的研究人员Owen Vaughan博士说：“结合以前的研究发现可知母亲糖皮质激素会调节胎儿营养，母亲体内较高的糖皮质激素会通过胎盘减少葡萄糖转换，并导致胎儿体重减轻。”

“孕妇糖皮质激素水平可能决定胎儿所接受的专门的营养素组合，结果会影响子代长期的代谢健康状况。这种情况可能对有精神压力或正在临床服用糖皮质激素类药物的孕期妇女有影响。”

研究表明母亲在压力之下其胎盘中的某些基因会被修改，其中一种会因胎盘中的母体应激激素而改变的基因是Redd1。该基因被认为是某种物质的信号，如氧气。该基因与细胞通路相互作用调节胎儿生长，并摄取营养输送到身体其它组织中。结合环境因素与胎儿的营养，未来的研究或可证明这种分子在胎盘中是非常重要的。（转化医学网360zhyx.com）

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原文：

Stress hormones in the mother can affect foetal development, according to a study published today in The Journal of Physiology.

To test whether high stress levels in pregnant mice had an impact on their offspring, pregnant mice received the natural glucocorticoid corticosterone at different times during pregnancy.

Researchers found that increased levels of glucocorticoid stress hormones in pregnant mice caused the mother to eat more but reduced the ability of the placenta to transport glucose to her foetus.

Dr Owen Vaughan, lead author of the study explained: "Together with previous work, the findings show that maternal glucocorticoids regulate foetal nutrition. Higher glucocorticoid hormone levels in the mother, can reduce glucose transport across the placenta and lead to a decrease in foetal weight.

"Glucocorticoid levels in pregnant women may determine the specific combination of nutrients received by the foetus and influence the long-term metabolic health of their children as a result. This could have implications for women stressed during pregnancy or treated clinically with glucocorticoids, if the mechanisms are similar in humans.

"Our research showed that under stress, certain genes in the placenta were modified. One of the genes shown to be altered in the placenta by maternal stress hormones was Redd1. This gene is believed to signal availability of other substances, like oxygen, and to interact with intracellular pathways regulating growth and nutrient uptake in other tissues of the body. Future studies may prove this molecule is important in the placenta, in linking environmental cues to the nutrition of the foetus."