A recent animal study, carried out by scientists at the University Of Cambridge, suggests that low oxygen conditions in the womb during pregnancy may have adverse effects on the offspring in terms of fertility later in life.
The researchers looked at hypoxic conditions (low oxygen) in rat foetuses, and found that this led to the daughter rats having advanced ageing of the ovaries with fewer eggs available for reproduction.
In humans, low oxygen (hypoxia) in the womb can be causedy a number of factors and conditions such as smoking, pre-eclampsia, maternal obesity, and living at high altitudes.
Hypoxia in the womb is already known to have potential long-term effects on the later health of infants, including a greater chance of heart disease. However, this is the first research that suggests that hypoxia may play a part in fertility problems later in life.
Speaking of the research team’s findings in rats, Dr Catherine Aitken from the University Of Cambridge, said, “It’s as if low levels of oxygen caused the female’s ovarian tissue to age faster. Biologically, the tissue appears older and the female would run out of eggs, in other words become infertile at a younger age.”
Dr Aitken also says there is no reason to expect that the findings would be different in humans, as other research on rats involving hypoxia during pregnancy in heart disease in offspring has been shown to be directly relevant to humans.
While it is recommended that women do not smoke during pregnancy, other causes of hypoxia are unavoidable. The findings of the research may prove useful to women who were exposed to low levels of oxygen during their mother’s pregnancy.
“Now that we’ve seen a link between hypoxia and fertility problems in rats, we know what to look for in women,” says Dr Aitken. “If the same turns out to be true for them, then women at risk will be able to take action by having children earlier in life or looking at assisted reproduction such as IVF, then there should be no reason why these women cannot have children.”
The team is also looking at whether anti-oxidant medicines may play a role in undoing any damage done by hypoxia in the womb.
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