Heart disease
Babies exposed to excess hormones in the womb could have an increased risk of developing heart disease and diabetes when they grow up. These risks can also be passed onto the baby's unborn children, according to a new report published in the American Journal of Physiology.
The astonishing findings mean that women who are in poor health and produce surplus hormones, for example those associated with stress, could be risking the future health of both their children and their future grandchildren.
The study, funded by the British Heart Foundation (BHF), concluded it was vital pregnant women watched what they ate and tried to maintain good health if they wanted to lower the risk of heart disease and diabetes in future generations.
Professor Jeremy Pearson, associate medical director at BHF, said: "It is increasingly being recognised that adverse conditions in the womb can lead to a higher risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease when the baby grows up, but the mechanisms involved are poorly understood.
"The study shows that one casual factor is exposure to increased stress hormones."
