title: Effect of maternal undernutrition on human foetal pancreas morphology in second trimester of pregnancy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Maternal undernutrition and hyperglycaemia during pregnancy, as well as foetal undernutrition affecting the development of foetal endocrine pancreas structure and function, especially that of β-cells is well known. This study was undertaken to look into the changes in pancreatic islets morphology of aborted normal human foetuses (16-20 wk old) of undernourished and adequately nourished mothers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Foetuses were collected over a 24 month period from medically terminated pregnancies of six undernourished mothers (BMI <18.5 kg/m² and eight adequately nourished mothers (BMI >18.5 kg/m². The sections were stained with haematoxylin & eosin as well as Masson trichrome for morphometric estimates such as islet count, area, volume, etc. and immunohistochemistry analysis of β-cells for insulin presence was done.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant correlations between maternal and foetal parameters were seen. However, there were no statistically significant differences in the number, size or density and beta cell counts of the pancreas among foetal pancreas of mothers with BMI <18.5 and >18.5 kg/m².
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings indicate that nutritional status of the mother may not have profound influence on the morphology of beta cells of foetal pancreas in second trimester of pregnancy. Further studies need to be done to confirm these findings.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pathology, National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR), Hyderabad, India. putchaaudaykumar@yahoo.com
authors.forename: P Uday
authors.initials: PU
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Ramalaxmi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Venkiah
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sesikeran
mesh_terms: D001786:Blood Glucose; D001835:Body Weight; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D044342:Malnutrition; D008429:Maternal Welfare; D010179:Pancreas / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin
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