Males born to obese mothers have a higher chance of being overweight from birth and developing metabolic diseases like diabetes or liver disease later in life. Part of the problem stems from the way male sex hormones trigger pathways in the developing liver. This is the conclusion of a recent study investigating the effects of maternal obesity on fetal liver androgen signaling, which was headed by researchers at the University of South Australia (UniSA). Because male sex hormones in the liver activate different signals in male fetuses of obese pregnant women, they are encouraged to prioritize growth over health.
Dr. Ashley Meakin, a researcher at UniSA, argues that while androgens are essential for the development of male characteristics and give them their masculine look, an excess of them can lead to large male fetuses, which can affect an adult’s liver function in addition to causing issues at birth. The androgen pathway in the liver is hardwired to be switched off in female fetuses exposed to excess testosterone from an obese pregnancy, which limits their growth and reduces the likelihood of metabolic disorders in adulthood.
“We know there are sex differences in metabolic disorders in later life in response to maternal obesity,” Dr Meakin says.
“Men are more prone to non-alcohol fatty liver diseases and diabetes as an adult if their mother is obese during pregnancy and their birth weight is above 4 kg (9 lb 15 oz).
“They are genetically wired to prioritise androgens because it supports the development of male characteristics – including size – but too much androgen is bad.”
The head of UniSA’s Early Origins of Adult Health Research Group and study lead author, Professor Janna Morrison, notes that maintaining the proper nutrition during pregnancy requires striking a delicate balance in order to create the best possible environment for the development of the fetus. She adds, “There’s also a chance that offspring won’t get enough nutrition during pregnancy.” “You are more susceptible to unfavorable outcomes in later life if you are too big, too small, born too early, or a man. You have to be the right size and born at the right time to fulfill the Goldilocks requirement.”
