Prenatal stress perturbs fetal iron homeostasis in a sex-specific manner

TL;DR

This study investigates how chronic maternal prenatal stress affects fetal iron regulation, revealing sex-specific impacts and proposing a non-invasive method for early detection to improve fetal health outcomes.

Contribution

It demonstrates sex-specific effects of prenatal stress on fetal iron homeostasis and introduces a non-invasive fetal stress index for early detection.

Findings

Lower cord blood transferrin saturation in male stressed neonates

15.4% decrease in fetal ferritin due to prenatal stress

Fetal Stress Index (FSI) effectively identifies affected fetuses

Abstract

What is the influence of chronic maternal prenatal stress (PS) on fetal iron homeostasis? In a prospective case-control study in 164 pregnant women, we show that cord blood transferrin saturation is lower in male stressed neonates. The total effect of PS exposure on fetal ferritin revealed a decrease of 15.4% compared with controls. Electrocardiogram-based Fetal Stress Index (FSI) identified affected fetuses non-invasively during the third trimester of gestation. FSI-based timely detection of fetuses affected by PS can support early individualized iron supplementation and neurodevelopmental follow-up to prevent long-term sequelae due to PS-exacerbated impairment of the iron homeostasis.