Inositol is a highly bioactive carbohydrate involved in signalling, and glucose and lipid metabolism. The placenta is rich in inositols, acts as the gateway regulating supply of nutrients to the fetus and is a major determinant of fetal growth. High placental inositol appears to protect the fetus from the pro-adipogenic effects of maternal hyperglycaemia. Before inositol supplementation can be exploited as a potential intervention in fetal growth disorders, there is a need to understand how placental inositol may regulate fetal growth.

This project will use magnetic resonance imaging techniques to quantify and spatially localise inositol isomers within the placentas obtained from pregnancies of babies born small, appropriate, or large for gestational-age. Associations will also be made between placental inositol measures and intrauterine fetal growth and with newborn birthweight. These findings will then be corroborated using data from separate ongoing mother-offspring cohorts, where longer term offspring growth and metabolic data is available.

Therefore, this project will clarify the role of placental inositol in fetal growth regulation and will pave the way for development of inositol interventions for fetal growth disorders, which may ultimately mitigate the risk of future cardiometabolic disorders.