Finding out baby's sex during pregnancy leads to better chances of survival: Boys are more demanding than girls before birth

Finding out the baby's gender during pregnancy can lead to better life chances, a new study from the University of Cambridge has found

Pregnancy with male babies is more likely to lead to complications, possibly because they grow faster in the womb and require more nutrients and oxygen

Now, scientists studying pregnancy in laboratory mice have found that the sex of the fetus affects how the placenta actually functions, as well as factors such as maternal obesity and stress caused by diet

About 1 in 10 women are affected by pregnancy disorders such as fetal growth restriction and preeclampsia -- a form of high blood pressure that can be life-threatening for both mother and child -- but these conditions are difficult to predict and treat

Designing individual treatment plans and encouraging pregnant women to make life>

"Parents often don't want to know their child's gender because they want to surprise their child

"We're not entirely sure why this is the case, but it may be related to male babies growing faster in the womb

Dr.

Fetal growth depends on the function of the placenta, which requires energy from mitochondria

Dr Sferruzzi-Perri said: "The placenta has an amazing ability to alter its formation and function

These studies demonstrate the importance of designing sex-specific treatments for placental insufficiency and abnormal fetal growth, as well as individualized life>

Dr Sferruzzi-Perri said: "The data we generate in the lab really tell us that we have to take the baby's gender into account when monitoring pregnancy

Scientists already know that the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease in men and women depends on gender—men tend to have higher rates of both diseases

In the UK, more than half of pregnant women have a BMI above the normal healthy range

"We are now building more and more evidence to measure the mother during pregnancy, such as her initial BMI, her growth, her gestational weight, but also taking into account fetal sex

"It could be that women who have boys need to adapt to different life>

Currently, there are few treatments for women with pregnancy complications other than bed rest, dietary advice or early delivery because the drug has the potential to cross the placenta and affect the various organs of the fetus, which are very sensitive
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Scientists are now trying to design a treatment that only goes to the placenta
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Dr.
Sferruzzi-Perri said: "These therapies will improve how the placenta functions, how it develops, and even at the mitochondrial level, how it produces energy to support fetal growth
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This groundwork reinforces our conviction that the placenta is critical for healthy pregnancy outcomes.
, fetal sex also matters
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But by looking at different kinds of genes, proteins and cellular mechanisms, we may be able to identify biomarker-like targets, especially in the placenta, to improve outcomes for mothers and babies
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Provided by the University of Cambridge