"Intrauterine programming" of hormonal and metabolic processes and intrauterine growth retardation syndrome

According to the "intrauterine programming" hypothesis, the fetus responses to nutritional deficiency by adaptation in the form of long-standing changes of metabolism that eventually create predisposition to cardiovascular, metabolic, and endocrine diseases. Up to now, a wealth of catamnestic data have been gathered indicating that individuals having the history of growth retardation in the prenatal period are likely to develop a variety of hormonal and metabolic disorders when they reach their mature age. Specifically, there is the close relationship between the intrauterine growth retardation syndrome and elevated arterial pressure, impaired glucose tolerance, and metabolic syndrome. The present review summarizes the results of epidemiological and experimental studies that confirm the above hypothesis.