The Metabolic Consequences of Intrauterine Growth Restriction
Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is when a fetus does not reach its expected size during pregnancy and is assigned a birth weight or length below the 10th percentile for its age. IUGR can bring significant risks to neonatal health and has long-term consequences on metabolic functions. The understanding of metabolic changes due to IUGR is crucial for developing effective treatments for these health risks. This review will examine the current knowledge on the metabolic changes in IUGR individuals as well as the effects of IUGR on metabolism. Animals have played a crucial role in studying IUGR metabolism showing that IUGR leads to long-lasting harmful impacts on growth, development, and metabolic functions. Research using rat models shows that IUGR can lead to alterations in glucose metabolism. Studies where rats were subjected to low-protein diets in utero showed an increased risk of developing insulin resistance and glucose intolerance later in life. The result of these studies