Petry C J, Hales C N
Clinical Biochemistry Department, University of Cambridge, UK.
Hum Reprod Update. 2000 Nov-Dec;6(6):578-86. doi: 10.1093/humupd/6.6.578.
The number of cell divisions during embryonic and fetal life makes the embryo/fetus particularly vulnerable to effects resulting from exposure to an adverse intrauterine environment. Exposure to drugs and irradiation at this stage of development are able to cause congenital malformations and various cancers in later life. In-utero exposure to hyperglycaemia is able to lead to future diabetes that is heritable, but not genetic in origin. Fetal malnutrition causing growth restriction is able to lead to an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, hypertension and ischaemic heart disease in later life, especially if the growth restriction is followed by catch-up growth postnatally. This review discusses the various mechanisms by which these effects may occur, and presents the difficulties that will have to be faced if their world-wide health burdens are to be reduced.
胚胎和胎儿期的细胞分裂次数使得胚胎/胎儿特别容易受到子宫内不良环境暴露所产生影响的伤害。在发育的这个阶段接触药物和辐射能够导致先天性畸形以及日后生活中的各种癌症。子宫内暴露于高血糖环境能够导致具有遗传性但并非源于基因的未来糖尿病。导致生长受限的胎儿营养不良能够增加日后患2型糖尿病、高血压和缺血性心脏病的风险，特别是如果生长受限之后在出生后出现追赶生长的情况。本综述讨论了这些影响可能发生的各种机制，并提出了如果要减轻其全球健康负担将不得不面对的困难。
