Preconception Flashcards
what can affect maternal health, fertility, embryonic growth and development, and infant outcomes?
metabolic and hormonal changes induced by high or low levels of energy availability and body fat
Some of the metabolic and hormonal changes occurring with obesity and underweight prior to conception don’t influence pregnancy outcomes
false
why does being overweight appear to impact fertility and pregnancy in women with metabolic abnormalities?
insulin resistance and chronic inflammation
intra-abdominal fat (visceral fat)
fat located within the abdominal cavity around organs such as the liver, pancreas, and intestines.
which is weaker - overweight and poor health OR obesity in the absence of high levels of intra-abdominal fat
overweight and poor health
obesity marked by excess intra-abdominal fat is related to:
insulin resistance
elevated levels of insulin
chronic inflammation
oxidative stress
metabolic syndrome
elevated blood insulin levels reduce:
sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG)
what does SHBG do
prompts the ovaries to increase production of testosterone
Excess testosterone disrupts
egg development
high levels of intra-abdominal fat in women contribute to
- an ovulation
- amenorrhea
- delayed conception
- reduced response to fertility
why do men with high levels of body fat can experience fertility problems?
hormonal changes related to the metabolism of testosterone in fat tissue.
what does aromatase do?
fat tissue contains this enzyme which allows converts testosterone to estradiol, and this conversion may be abnormally high for people with high body fat
men who experience obesity tend to have
- low testosterone
- elevated estradiol levels
Elevated levels of estradiol inhibit secretion of
LH and FSH
changes in LH and FSH can lower
testosterone synthesis
low levels of testosterone decrease what and promote what
- decrease sperm
- promote infertility and subfertility
