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In vivo: maternal betaine supplementation normalized fetal growth in diabetic pregnancy

  • Maternal-Fetal Medicine
  • Published:
Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Diabetes alters maternal metabolism and can lead to aberrant fetal growth. In addition to insulin treatment, nutritional diet interventions are recommended for promoting fetal health against diabetes-induced adverse effects. Therefore, we conducted an in vivo study to investigate betaine efficacy on fetal development against maternal diabetes.

Methods

Thirty-two dams were divided into four equal groups: control (C), betaine supplementation (BS), diabetic pregnancy (DP) and diabetic pregnancy plus betaine supplementation (DP + BS). Fasting blood sugar (FBS) and body weight (BW) were monitored during pregnancy. After physiological delivery, dams glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) concentrations were measured, followed by fetal development indices including litter size (LS), neonatal weight (NW) and crown-rump (CR). Also, maternal oxidative status was assessed by evaluating glutathione (GSH) content, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and catalase (CAT) activities, and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration in the erythrocytes.

Results

Betaine supplementation significantly alleviated FBS and tended to recover BW loss. It also significantly decreased HbA1c values in dams of DP + BS compared to DP group. Normalized fetal indices such as LS, NW and CR under betaine supplementation were associated with a significant increase in GSH content and GSH-Px activity, as well as decreased MDA concentrations in erythrocytes of dams in the DP + BS versus the DP group, indicating improved redox balance in the dams.

Conclusion

We indicated for the first time that betaine supplementation improved the maternal glucose metabolism and redox balance associated with normalized fetal growth. Nevertheless, further studies are required to investigate the mechanisms through which betaine protects fetal growth in diabetic pregnancy.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Dr. Asghar Sepahvand, Dr. Behrooz Ezzat Pour (the manager and deputy of Razi Herbal Medicine Research Center) and Miss. Chahari for their kindly co-operation in this study.

Funding

This work was supported by research council of Lorestan University.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduated Student of Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran

    Pouya Salahi & Mahdiyeh Gharabaghi

  2. Razi Herbal Medicine Research Center, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran

    Pouya Salahi

  3. Department of Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran

    Alireza Rocky

  4. Division of Biochemistry, School of Veterinary Medicine, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran

    Masoud Alirezaei

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  1. Pouya Salahi
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  2. Mahdiyeh Gharabaghi
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  3. Alireza Rocky
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  4. Masoud Alirezaei
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Contributions

PS performed the experiments, collected and analyzed the data and wrote the manuscript. MG performed the experiment and collected the data. AR helped with the project management, edited the manuscript and has done native English edit. MA helped with the project management, performed the quality control of data and algorithms and analyzed the data, also edited the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Pouya Salahi.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethics approval

All rats were treated humanely and in compliance with the recommendations of Animal Care Committee for the Lorestan University (Khorramabad, Iran) with approval number: LU.ECRA. 2017.4.

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This report does not contain any studies with human participants performed by any of the authors.

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Salahi, P., Gharabaghi, M., Rocky, A. et al. In vivo: maternal betaine supplementation normalized fetal growth in diabetic pregnancy. Arch Gynecol Obstet 302, 837–844 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-020-05665-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-020-05665-5

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