Sofia Nicastro
Pronouns: She/Her
Research Mentor(s): Brigid Gregg
Research Mentor School/College/Department: Pediatrics / Medicine
Program: UROPF
Session: Session 3 (11:00am – 11:50am)
Authors:
Abstract
In the United States, gestational diabetes (GDM) affects 2% to 10% of mothers every year. Several studies have been conducted in order to determine GDM effect on the offspring’s BMI and overweight risk factors. Similarly, another major topic of interest is adipocytes and their response to different fat cells. It is said, “the combination of maternal obesity and GDM is associated with the highest odds of childhood adiposity.†However, maternal biology on lactation difficulties is still under research and not completely understood. The purpose of the paper is to uncover the effects of mothers’ blood sugars in pregnancy on mammary gland gene expression. Mothers with gestational diabetes were contacted to in order volunteer to give a sample of their breast milk. The blood sugar level of these samples was continuously increasing in order to provide enough data for comparison and significance. It was from these samples of breast milk, milk RNA isolation was conducted and analyzed. The expected results of the study were, Increases in blood sugar levels are expected to cause alterations of the mammary glands of mothers with GDM, therefore increasing the risk of offspring becoming overweight and having a greater BMI than offspring of mothers without GDM. With these results, interventions to decrease the likelihood of negative metabolic health in children could be placed and practiced with mothers with GDM.
