Biological effects of a maternal ED on pregnancy and foetal development: a review

Abstract

The aim of this paper was to review the literature on the biological effects of a maternal eating disorder (ED) (and relevant comorbidities) in pregnancy on mothers and in particular on the foetus. We also aimed to highlight possible mechanisms of risk for long-term consequences in the offspring. Relevant literature was searched for using PubMed, PsychInfo and Google Scholar and manually through relevant research papers. The consequences of maternal EDs in pregnancy on EDs symptoms, psychopathology and perinatal outcomes are discussed. A developmental model of possible risk mechanisms for adverse long-term nutritional and psychopathological outcomes in the offspring is proposed. Maternal EDs during pregnancy are likely to have important long-term biological effects on the foetus. Further research needs to clarify potential biological risk mechanisms highlighted in this review.

Nutritional and Weight Management Behaviors in Low-Income Women Trying to Conceive

“…They also engaged in dietary practices that reduce nutrient intake or absorption, such as fasting, using laxatives, and purging. Exposure to an obesigenic environment in utero can alter metabolic development, resulting in future risk of cardiometabolic disease among children (29–31). Further, evidence suggests that dietary intake before conception has similar effects on fetal development as maternal diet during pregnancy (3).…”

Reproductive issues in anorexia nervosa

“…Institute of Medicine guidelines recommend a weight gain of 12.7–18 kg for women with a BMI of less than 18.5, and thus weight gain of 17.8 kg may signal appropriate concern with adequate gestational weight during this critical time. Greater weight gain in women with anorexia nervosa during pregnancy could ensure that the nutritional demands of the developing fetus are met [19,23,31,32]. However, there is an additional need to examine the nutritional quality of food women with anorexia nervosa are consuming during this time.…”

“…The two main processes proposed to underlie fetal programming (fetal undernutrition and overexposure to stress hormones) [117] overlap considerably with the core features of anorexia nervosa (poor nutrition and anxiety) [32]. Maternal malnutrition during pregnancy is associated with increased risk for obesity, coronary heart disease, metabolic disease and stroke in adult offspring [115,116,118].…”

Factors of risk and maintenance for eating disorders: psychometric exploration of the cross‐cultural questionnaire (CCQ) across five European countries

“…Some of the putative risk factors identifi ed for ED are shared with other psychiatric disorders (Wilson, 2010), whereas other factors seem to be specifi c for dieting (Calado, Lameiras, Sepulveda, Rodríguez & Carrera, 2010;Fairburn, Cooper, Doll, & Welch, 1999;Fairburn, Welch, Doll, Davies, & O'Connor, 1997;Fairburn et al, 1998;Micali & Treasure, 2009). However, the differentiation of the putative risk factors between the three eating disorder syndromes (anorexia nervosa [AN], bulimia nervosa [BN] and eating disorders not otherwise specifi ed [EDNOS]) is unclear (Jacobi, Hayward, de Zwaan, Kraemer, & Agras, 2004).…”