Early fetal growth 'impacts heart health'

Heart health could be determined in the early stages of a baby's development within the womb. New research has suggested that the way in which a baby develops in the womb within the first few weeks is vital to a healthy heart in later life. 

A new study, published in the 'British medical Journal', has provided further evidence that the risk of heart complications is decided long before a person reaches adulthood. Researchers tracked almost 2,000 children from the early stages of pregnancy onwards in the city of Rotterdam, the Netherlands, in order to see if there were any early markers of health issues that could affect them in later life.

Scientists from Erasmus University Medical School looked at the possible links between markers for possible complications in cardiovascular health at six years old and the first ultrasound, which is usually performed between ten and 13 weeks from conception. Markers included high blood pressure, high cholesterol, central body fat and high levels of insulin.

It was found that slow growth of a foetus during the first three months of development links to cardiovascular risks when the children grow up. The researchers suggest that the way in which a baby develops in the womb during the early stages of pregnancy has a strong link to heart health later on.

While it has previously been suggested that birth weight is also a marker of possible heart health complications later in life, the new study has found that it is not the only factor as early poor growth can also affect cardiovascular issues. 

Professor Vincent Jaddoe, author of the study, told BBC News: "These results suggest that the first trimester of pregnancy may be a critical period for development of offspring cardiovascular risk factors in later life.

"Therefore adverse maternal lifestyle habits influencing early foetal growth may have persistent consequences for their offspring, many decades later."  

Currently no other studies have shown that there is a link between early fetal growth and heart health. Previous work will need to be performed in this area in order to replicate the results, said Professor Jaddoe.