Human Placental Trophoblasts: Impact of Maternal Nutrition

Human Placental Trophoblasts: Impact of Maternal Nutrition explores the vital roles of trophoblasts play in fetal growth and pregnancy, giving you new insight into the modulation of placental trophoblast functions by nutrients. It also reviews the role of fatty acids, folic acids, and specific vitamins in this aspect. The book highlights the critical role of nutrients on human placental development and its' in utero programming effects on the development of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, and obesity in later life. The book begins with discussions of the central process of placentation and its regulation on size and growth of the fetus. It also covers the effects of key macronutrients on placental growth, metabolism, transport, and secretory function. The text details important vitamins and few micronutrients and their roles in the feto-placental growth and development. It includes information on the influence of maternal lifestyle and environmental factors on regulation of the growth, metabolism and gene expression in the feto-placental unit. A review of the genes linked to the process of placentation rounds out the coverage. An examination of a broad range of evidence in the areas of placental growth, function, and its impact on feto-placental outcome, the book presents new knowledge on nutrition and its relevance with early human development. This includes not only the effects of maternal nutrients on possible neonatal growth and development but also their regulation by maternal lifestyle associated factors. A fine blending of epidemiology, clinical nutrition, perinatal and neonatal medicine, and biochemistry and molecular biology areas of research activities, the book helps you to understand the impact of maternal nutrition on placentation and its relevance with pregnancy outcome and fetal programming of adult health and disease.