title: Motherhood, metabolic changes and evolution.
abstract: The most important metabolic changes in pregnancy are facilitated anabolism when food is available and accelerated catabolism during fasting. In combination with the acquisition of haemochorial placenta, bipedalism and obligatory prematurity at birth these evolutionary choices have been the prerequisite conditions for the rapid growth of the fetal brain and its further postnatal development.
authors.affiliation: University of Verona, School of Medicine, Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pecorari
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D001921:Brain / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005215:Fasting; D005260:Female; D015186:Hominidae / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008428:Maternal Mortality; D002679:Pan troglodytes / Q000502:physiology; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D011248:Pregnancy Complications
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids