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High levels of a protein in the placenta have been linked to low birth weights and it may protects fetus from dying in the womb. Birth weights under 5.5 lbs raise the risks that a baby will suffer from obesity, high blood pressure diabetes and heart disease in adulthood. Scientists at the University of California, Los Angeles, discovered that production of a protein humanin may protect fetus when the placenta is failing.
Fetus growth is hindered by placental insufficiency-the protective sack that a baby develops in and receives blood, nutrients and oxygen through does not function properly and the fetus is deprived of these essentials nutrients. Fetus that is smaller than expected during pregnancy shows that the mother do not eat and rest very well.
Insufficient nutrients and oxygen can kill the fetus. The UCLA researchers suspected that a protein-humanin may protects a fetus when the placenta fails. Humanin break carbohydrates and deliver nutrients to organs and muscles, it also works as a defense mechanism against oxidative stress- a part of the metabolic process that releases free radicals into the body.
Oxidative stress is unavoidable, but environmental and lifestyles like smoking, pollution, obesity and poor nutrition can increase the stress and increase the number of vicious free radicals in the body. Oxidative stress ages the placenta. When placenta does not work properly fetus does not get enough oxygen and nutrients, this stunts growth and development of fetus.
Bed rest and healthy diet can correct the condition.When fetus is deprived of oxygen and nutrients, its cells begin to die off. But the new study suggests that humanin’s protective effect may prevents that.
haleplushearty.org