Obese Mothers may Pass on Infertility to Offspring

A new research published in the journal Endocrinology has warned that if an expectant mother is suffering from obesity, then the chances of infertility in the next generation increased. According to researchers from the Yale University School of Medicine, women who are obese have low levels of hormone ghrelin, which has been known to regulate reproductive function in both humans and animals.

The researchers tested their theory among mice and found that the children of those mothers that had low levels of ghrelin were less fertile than their counterparts who were born of mothers with normal levels of the hormone.

Lead researcher Hugh Taylor said that while the study was conducted among mice, their theory should also be applicable to humans. “Our results suggest that low ghrelin levels could program the development of the uterus in the female children of obese women. These women may then be less fertile as adults”, he added.




Source-Medindia