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Impact of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus in the Maternal-to-Fetal Transport of Nutrients

  • Diabetes and Pregnancy (CJ Homko, Section Editor)
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Abstract

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a metabolic disorder prevalent among pregnant women. This disease increases the risk of adverse perinatal outcomes and diseases in the offspring later in life. The human placenta, the main interface between the maternal and fetal blood circulations, is responsible for the maternal-to-fetal transfer of nutrients essential for fetal growth and development. In this context, the aim of this article is to review the latest advances in the placental transport of macro and micronutrients and how they are affected by GDM and its associated conditions, such as elevated levels of glucose, insulin, leptin, inflammation, and oxidative stress. Data analyzed in this article suggest that GDM and its associated conditions, particularly high levels of glucose, leptin, and oxidative stress, disturb placental nutrient transport and, consequently, fetal nutrient supply. As a consequence, this disturbance may contribute to the fetal and postnatal adverse health outcomes associated with GDM.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) and COMPETE, QREN, and FEDER (SFRH/BD/63086/2009).

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Conflict of Interest

João Ricardo Araújo, Elisa Keating, and Fátima Martel declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine of Porto, University of Porto, 4200-319, Porto, Portugal

    João Ricardo Araújo, Elisa Keating & Fátima Martel

  2. Center for Biotechnology and Fine Chemistry, School of Biotechnology, Portuguese Catholic University, 4200-702, Porto, Portugal

    Elisa Keating

Authors
  1. João Ricardo Araújo
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  2. Elisa Keating
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  3. Fátima Martel
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Correspondence to João Ricardo Araújo.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Diabetes and Pregnancy

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Araújo, J.R., Keating, E. & Martel, F. Impact of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus in the Maternal-to-Fetal Transport of Nutrients. Curr Diab Rep 15, 1 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11892-014-0569-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11892-014-0569-y

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