The
fetal origins hypothesis: placental insufficiency and inheritance versus maternal malnutrition in well-nourished populations.
Barker's hypothesis, known then as the "
fetal origins hypothesis" but subsequently referred to as the "Barker hypothesis," was published.
A burgeoning body of literature on the
Fetal Origins Hypothesis (FOH) suggests that the intrauterine environment, nutrition in particular, programs the fetus to future diseases (1,2).
Historically, investigations on the fetal origins hypothesis have focused on maternal undernutrition and specific nutrient deficiencies.
The fetal origins hypothesis indicates that such individuals should have increased morbidity and mortality from metabolic and cardiovascular disease, but this has not been proven to be necessarily the case [15, 29, 126].
The
fetal origins hypothesis of adult diseases postulates that fetal under nutrition, reflected by LBW is associated with susceptibility to development of IHD and other chronic NCDs in later life.
Low birth weight for gestation and airway function in infancy: Exploring the
fetal origins hypothesis. Thorax, 59:60-6, 2004.
Much of the
fetal origins hypothesis is supported by 54 published papers that include about half a million subjects and demonstrate a graded relationship in which smaller babies have higher systolic blood pressure throughout life.