Open AccessAntenatal corticosteroid exposure at term increases adult adiposity: an experimental study in sheep
Author(s) -
Berry Mary J.,
Jaquiery Anne L.,
Oliver Mark H.,
Harding Jane E.,
Bloomfield Frank H.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
acta obstetricia et gynecologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.401
H-Index - 102
eISSN - 1600-0412
pISSN - 0001-6349
DOI - 10.1111/aogs.12149
Subject(s) - offspring , medicine , gestation , corticosteroid , pregnancy , obesity , endocrinology , physiology , biology , genetics
Clinical practice guidelines for elective cesarean section at early‐term gestation (37–38 weeks) recommend antenatal corticosteroids to reduce neonatal respiratory morbidity. However, the long‐term health implications for offspring exposed to corticosteroids at term are unknown and may differ from the effects of preterm corticosteroid exposure. We therefore randomized singleton‐bearing ewes ( n = 64) to receive a clinically relevant dose of corticosteroids at term or no treatment. Body composition was assessed in adult offspring using dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry. Relative to skeletal size female, but not male, offspring of steroid‐treated ewes had increased weight and a greater fat mass than controls (relative weight: 49.1 ± 1.1 vs. 52.9 ± 1.2 kg/m 2 , p = 0.02; relative fat mass: 5.4 ± 0.7 vs. 3.4 ± 0.7 kg/m 2 , p = 0.04). Whether corticosteroid exposure at early‐term gestation increases adult adiposity in humans is unknown and needs further investigation.