During pregnancy, a woman’s body undergoes substantial changes, encompassing both visible alterations such as weight gain and unseen modifications that contribute to discomfort during gestation. In a recent study, scientists meticulously charted the profound metabolic changes that occur throughout pregnancy, leveraging research conducted on monkeys.
The study aims to provide insights into the myriad challenges women encounter during pregnancy, shedding light on complications like recurrent miscarriage, pre-eclampsia, and gestational diabetes, all of which are influenced by metabolic adjustments. Published in the journal Cell on February 1, the research, titled “A multi-tissue metabolome atlas of primate pregnancy,” employed cynomolgus monkeys (Crab-eating macaques) as models. Researchers meticulously crafted a comprehensive multi-tissue metabolome atlas, meticulously examining 273 samples extracted from 23 maternal tissues during various stages of pregnancy.
Samples were procured from 12 captive-bred monkeys, with three monkeys each representing different stages of pregnancy: non-pregnant, early pregnancy (5–8 weeks), mid-pregnancy (12–15 weeks), and late pregnancy (18–20 weeks). The samples encompassed 23 anatomical sites, encompassing the uterus, liver, spinal cord, skin, blood, and five regions of the heart.
Shyh-Chang Ng from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing emphasized the significant changes occurring across various tissues during pregnancy. Notably, the heart elevates its pumping volume by up to 40 percent, while the thymus, a component of the immune system, experiences rapid shrinkage to prevent fetal rejection. The findings from this study offer a deeper understanding of the intricate metabolic adjustments during pregnancy and could pave the way for more effective management of pregnancy-related complications.
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