The risk of heart disease begins in the uterus, study

Heart disease is now the leading cause of death, killing 17.7 million people a year. Our genes also interact with traditional lifestyle-related risk factors, such as smoking, obesity and / or sedentary lifestyle. These factors lead to an increased risk of heart disease.

In addition, it has also been suggested that the gene-environment interaction before birth could be just as important, if not more, in the "programming" of health and future heart disease. For example, human studies in siblings show that children born to an obese mother during pregnancy are at greater risk for heart disease than siblings born to the same mother after bariatric surgery to reduce maternal obesity.

At present, a new study from the University of Cambridge shows that pregnancies complicated by chronic hypoxia – lower than normal oxygen levels – have multiplied the indicators of cardiovascular disease, such as l? hypertension and rigidity of the veins.

Chronic hypoxia in the developing baby in the uterus is one of the most common results of a complicated pregnancy in humans. It occurs as a result of placental problems, such as preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, or maternal smoking.

Scientists have conducted a study on pregnant sheep to show that maternal treatment with antioxidant vitamin C during a complicated pregnancy could protect offspring from adults against the development of hypertension and heart disease. These works suggest that prenatal influence on late cardiac diseases of offspring is indeed possible. In addition, it shows that the potential for protection against this problem is to bring back preventive medications into the uterus.

Professor Dino Giussani of the Department of Physiology said, "Our findings point out that when we are considering strategies to reduce the overall burden of heart disease, much more attention is given to prevention rather than". treatment. Treatment should begin as early as possible during development, rather than wait until adulthood when the pathological process has become irreversible. "

Professor Giussani emphasized that it was too early to consider vitamin C as a potential supplement for mothers. Any mother worried about developing her baby in the uterus should consult her doctor before changing diets or taking supplements.

The work is published in the journal PLOS Biology.