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How baby’s sex may influence pregnancy complications? Know here

Published

6 years ago

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Scientists have found that the placentas of male or female babies control the level of small molecules which may explain the reason behind why pregnancy complications may vary depending upon the baby’s biological sex.

The findings showed that the genetic profile of the placentas of male and female babies were very different in relation to the baby’s sex.

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This may help explain why male babies may be more vulnerable to the effects of poor growth, and why being pregnant with a girl may lead to an increased risk of severe pre-eclampsia for the mother, the researchers said.

“In pregnancy and childbirth, the sex of the baby is at the forefront of many parents’ minds, but we do not even think of the placenta as having a sex. This work shows that the placenta differs profoundly according to sex,” said lead author, Gordon Smith from NIHR Cambridge Comprehensive Biomedical Research Centre at the University of Cambridge, Britain.

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For the study, published in the journal JCI Insight, the team included data from 4,000 first time mothers and analysed samples of placenta and maternal blood.

The team found that one of the uniquely sex-related placental genes controlled the level of a small molecule called spermine — a metabolite that is a substance involved in metabolism — that plays an important role in all cells and is even essential for the growth of some bacteria.

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Female placentas had much higher levels of the enzyme that makes spermine, thus increasing levels of the metabolite in mothers with baby girls which is associated with pre-eclampsia risk whereas placental cells from boys were found to be more susceptible to the toxic effects of a drug that blocked spermine production, causing low levels of the substance which may lead to poor foetal growth.

“These differences alter elements of the composition of the mother’s blood and may even modify her risk of pregnancy complications. Better understanding of these differences could lead to new predictive tests and possibly even new approaches to reducing the risk of poor pregnancy outcome,” Smith explained.

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Corona

Covid toll in Karnataka is a worrying sign for state government

Published

3 years ago

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May 4, 2022

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Even though Karnataka recorded the lowest number of Covid deaths in April since the virus struck first in 2020, the state is recording a rise in the positivity rate (1.50 per cent). Five people died from the Covid infections in April as per the statistics released by the state health department. In March, the positivity rate stood around 0.53 per cent. In the first week of April it came down to 0.38 per cent, second week registered 0.56 per cent, third week it rose to 0.79 per cent and by end of April the Covid positivity rate touched 1.19 per cent.

on an average 500 persons used to succumb everyday in the peak of Covid infection, as per the data. Health experts said that the mutated Coronavirus is losing its fierce characteristics as vaccination, better treatment facilities and awareness among the people have contributed to the lesser number of Covid deaths.

During the 4th and 6th of April two deaths were reported in Bengaluru, one in Gadag district on April 8, two deaths were reported from Belagavi and Vijayapura on April 30. The first Covid case was reported in the state in March 2020 and three Covid deaths were recorded in the month. In the following month 21 people became victims to the deadly virus, and May 2020 recorded 22 deaths. The death toll recorded everyday after May crossed three digits. However, the third wave, which started in January 2

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