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Background: People who had low birth weight are at increased risk of hypertension. This may reflect fetal programming by undernutrition. Placental size is also associated with hypertension. Maternal undernutrition during the Dutch famine reduced placental surface area. We examined whether maternal undernutrition altered the relationship between placental size and later hypertension., Methods: Retrospective cohort study among 860 subjects born in Amsterdam during 1943-47. 216 subjects were taking anti-hypertensive medication. Birth records included placental length and breadth from which we calculated its area., Results: Among men who were not in utero during the famine hypertension was associated with a small placental surface area due to a small placental breadth, and with an oval-shaped surface. The OR for hypertension was 0.83 (95% CI 0.70 to 1.00) for a 40 cm(2) increase in surface area. Among men who were in utero during the famine hypertension was associated with a large placental surface area due to a large placental breadth, and with a round-shaped surface. The OR for hypertension was 1.34 (95% CI 0.99 to 1.80) for a 40 cm(2) increase in surface area. The associations between placental size and hypertension in men who were and were not in utero during the famine were significantly different (p values for interaction = 0.008 for placental surface area, 0.001 for the breadth and 0.01 for the difference in the two diameters). Among women hypertension was not associated with placental size., Conclusions: Our study provides the first direct evidence that changes in maternal diet during pregnancy alter the relationship between placental size and later hypertension among men but not women. We suggest that among men who were not in utero during the famine, hypertension was related to impaired implantation, whereas among men who were in utero during the famine it was related to compensatory expansion of the placental surface., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Placental growth responds to maternal influences including diet. We have examined placental size, shape and efficiency among babies born around the time of the 5-month wartime famine in Holland 1944-1945., Methods: We examined the birth records of 2414 term singleton babies born in Amsterdam during 1943-1947. The records included the size of the baby and the thickness of the placental surface, together with its length and breadth which we used to calculate its area and volume., Results: Compared to babies born before the famine babies who were in utero during the famine had smaller placental areas. Babies whose mothers conceived after the famine ended also had smaller placental areas. Famine was associated with a 19 cm(2) decrease in area. Babies who were in mid-late gestation during the famine were 160 g lighter than would have been predicted from their placental area (p < 0.001). Babies who were in early gestation during the famine, or who were conceived after it had ended were 102 g heavier than would have been predicted from their placental area (p < 0.001). These latter babies were either longer or had larger head circumferences depending on when the mother experienced the famine. Among babies who were in early gestation during the famine the reduction in placental area was greater in boys than girls (p for interaction 0.03)., Conclusion: Famine impaired the normal processes of placentation, even among babies who were conceived after it had ended. In babies who were in mid-late gestation during the famine, the placenta was less efficient. In babies who were in early gestation during the famine, or who were conceived after it had ended, the placenta was more efficient. The placentas of boys and girls responded differently to famine., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Restricted prenatal growth is associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease morbidity and mortality. We studied the effects of exposure to famine during gestation on intima media thickness (IMT) in later life., Methods and Results: We studied 730 people aged 58 years who were born as term singletons around the time of the 1944-45 Dutch famine. Persons exposed to famine during gestation (n=293) had reduced carotid artery IMT compared to people who had not been exposed to famine in utero (n=437) (mean 0.71 mm, S.D. 0.16 mm compared to 0.75 mm, S.D. 0.15 mm, sex adjusted p=0.001). Femoral artery IMT was also thinner among people exposed to famine during gestation compared to people unexposed in utero (mean 0.64 mm, S.D. 0.20mm, compared to 0.68 mm, S.D. 0.24), although the difference did not achieve statistical significance., Conclusion: Exposure to famine in utero may reduce IMT. However, it does not reduce the risk of coronary heart disease among famine exposed people.