Role of Adipokines in Glucose Regulation During Pregnancy and in Fetal Development

This study includes 2 phases. During phase 1, pregnant women are followed over the course of pregnancy. The phase 2 is a follow-up of the mother-child dyad at 3, 5 and 10-12 year after delivery.

The purpose of this phase 1 is to :

• assess the contribution and interactions of adipokines in the development of insulin resistance during pregnancy and gestational diabetes;
• assess levels of maternal adipokines as determinants of development and fetal growth;
• determine the genetic variations that influence levels of adipokines and glucose regulation during pregnancy and in newborns.

The purpose of this phase 2 is to:

• identify DNA methylation variations at birth that are predictive of childhood overweight/obesity.
• identify maternal characteristics associated with DNA methylation variations predictive of childhood overweight/obesity.
• establish whether the loci predictive of childhood overweight/obesity at birth are still differentially methylated at 5 years of age (samples collected at 5 years of age).
• identify DNA methylation variations at birth that are predictive of childhood neurodevelopment problems at 3, 5 and 10 years of age.