Studying How Parental Metabolism Affects Epigenetic Changes in Gestational Diabetes Using Cell-Free DNA

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to explore how parental metabolism during pregnancy affects fetal epigenetic patterns, focusing on gestational diabetes. It investigates how inherited epigenetic changes influence gene activity and disease risk in children. The study addresses the challenge of studying these effects in humans due to ethical concerns and the risks of invasive fetal sampling. Pregnant women between 20 and 28 weeks of gestation and their partners will be recruited. Mothers will undergo an oral glucose tolerance test to evaluate metabolism and detect gestational diabetes. Blood samples will be taken from both parents to analyze their metabolic profiles and epigenetic signatures. Fetal epigenetic patterns will be examined through analysis of fetal cell-free DNA circulating in the mothers blood. Participants will provide blood samples and metabolic data during pregnancy. Researchers will analyze epigenetic profiles and their correlation with glucose metabolism, insulin sensitivity, and lipid levels. The primary outcome is the epigenetic profiles of parents and fetuses at baseline. The study will monitor safety and collect data until July 2028, with voluntary consent required for participation.

Imprinting in Metabolic Diseases - Identifying Epigenetic Mechanisms in Human Gestational Diabetes Through Cell-free DNA