Tibetan protection from intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and reproductive loss at high altitude
- PMID:11505472
- DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.1102
Tibetan protection from intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and reproductive loss at high altitude
Abstract
Chronic hypoxia at high altitude restricts fetal growth, reducing birth weight and increasing infant mortality. We asked whether Tibetans, a long-resident high-altitude population, exhibit less altitude-associated intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and prenatal or postnatal reproductive loss than Han (ethnic Chinese), a group that has lived there for a shorter period of time. A population sample was obtained, comprising 485 deliveries to Tibetan or Han women over an 18-month period at 8 general hospitals or clinics located at 2,700-4,700 m in the Tibet Autonomous Region, China. Birth weight, gestational age, and other information were recorded for each delivery. Prenatal and postnatal mortality were calculated using information obtained from all pregnancies or babies born to study participants. Tibetan babies weighed more than the Han, averaging 310 g heavier at altitudes 2,700-3,000 m (95% CI = 126, 494 g; P < 0.01) and 530 g heavier at 3,000-3,800 m (210, 750 g; P < 0.01). More Han than Tibetan babies were born prematurely. Prenatal and postnatal mortality rose with increasing elevation and were 3-fold higher across all altitudes in the Han than the Tibetans (P < 0.05). Tibetans experience less altitude-associated IUGR than Han and have lower levels of prenatal and postnatal mortality. When the relationships between birth weight and altitude are compared among these and other high-altitude populations, those living at high altitude the longest have the least altitude-associated IUGR. This may suggest the occurrence of an evolutionary adaptation.
Similar articles
- Protection from intrauterine growth retardation in Tibetans at high altitude.Zamudio S, Droma T, Norkyel KY, Acharya G, Zamudio JA, Niermeyer SN, Moore LG.Zamudio S, et al.Am J Phys Anthropol. 1993 Jun;91(2):215-24. doi: 10.1002/ajpa.1330910207.Am J Phys Anthropol. 1993.PMID:8317562
- Oxygen transport in tibetan women during pregnancy at 3,658 m.Moore LG, Zamudio S, Zhuang J, Sun S, Droma T.Moore LG, et al.Am J Phys Anthropol. 2001 Jan;114(1):42-53. doi: 10.1002/1096-8644(200101)114:1<42::AID-AJPA1004>3.0.CO;2-B.Am J Phys Anthropol. 2001.PMID:11150051
- Birth weight among Tibetans at different altitudes in India: are Tibetans better protected from IUGR?Tripathy V, Gupta R.Tripathy V, et al.Am J Hum Biol. 2005 Jul-Aug;17(4):442-50. doi: 10.1002/ajhb.20400.Am J Hum Biol. 2005.PMID:15981183
- Human genetic adaptation to high altitude.Moore LG.Moore LG.High Alt Med Biol. 2001 Summer;2(2):257-79. doi: 10.1089/152702901750265341.High Alt Med Biol. 2001.PMID:11443005Review.
- Maternal adaptation to high-altitude pregnancy: an experiment of nature--a review.Moore LG, Shriver M, Bemis L, Hickler B, Wilson M, Brutsaert T, Parra E, Vargas E.Moore LG, et al.Placenta. 2004 Apr;25 Suppl A:S60-71. doi: 10.1016/j.placenta.2004.01.008.Placenta. 2004.PMID:15033310Review.
Cited by
- Genetic signatures reveal high-altitude adaptation in a set of ethiopian populations.Huerta-Sánchez E, Degiorgio M, Pagani L, Tarekegn A, Ekong R, Antao T, Cardona A, Montgomery HE, Cavalleri GL, Robbins PA, Weale ME, Bradman N, Bekele E, Kivisild T, Tyler-Smith C, Nielsen R.Huerta-Sánchez E, et al.Mol Biol Evol. 2013 Aug;30(8):1877-88. doi: 10.1093/molbev/mst089. Epub 2013 May 10.Mol Biol Evol. 2013.PMID:23666210Free PMC article.
- Altitude Adaptation: A Glimpse Through Various Lenses.Simonson TS.Simonson TS.High Alt Med Biol. 2015 Jun;16(2):125-37. doi: 10.1089/ham.2015.0033.High Alt Med Biol. 2015.PMID:26070057Free PMC article.Review.
- Placental Origins of Chronic Disease.Burton GJ, Fowden AL, Thornburg KL.Burton GJ, et al.Physiol Rev. 2016 Oct;96(4):1509-65. doi: 10.1152/physrev.00029.2015.Physiol Rev. 2016.PMID:27604528Free PMC article.Review.
- PKC regulates alpha(1)-adrenoceptor-mediated contractions and baseline Ca(2+) sensitivity in the uterine arteries of nonpregnant and pregnant sheep acclimatized to high altitude hypoxia.Xiao D, Huang X, Longo LD, Zhang L.Xiao D, et al.High Alt Med Biol. 2010 Summer;11(2):153-61. doi: 10.1089/ham.2009.1076.High Alt Med Biol. 2010.PMID:20586600Free PMC article.
- The impact of altitude on infant health in South America.Wehby GL, Castilla EE, Lopez-Camelo J.Wehby GL, et al.Econ Hum Biol. 2010 Jul;8(2):197-211. doi: 10.1016/j.ehb.2010.04.002. Epub 2010 May 31.Econ Hum Biol. 2010.PMID:20594925Free PMC article.
Publication types
MeSH terms
Related information
Grants and funding
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources