Work

Angiotensin-(1–7) and ACE2 in maternal obesity: a pathway to protection

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Obesity remains a global health crisis and is of particular concern in women of reproductive age due to its impacts on maternal and fetal health.Approximately 60% of pregnant women in the United States are classified as overweight or obese (1), which is associated with a greater risk of complications during pregnancy, including hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, gestational diabetes, and labor and delivery complications (2).Maternal obesity is also associated with adverse outcomes in offspring, including neonatal mortality, neurodevelopmental abnormalities, and the development of cardiometabolic diseases, such as obesity, metabolic syndrome, and hypertension (3, 4).Despite these well-established associations, the mechanisms linking maternal obesity to adverse maternal and offspring outcomes remain incompletely understood, highlighting the need to identify the underlying pathways to improve outcomes and inform the development of more effective therapeutic strategies.

Source: American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology

DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.90188.2026

Authors: Katherine D. Kimbark, Amy C. Arnold

Institution: Pennsylvania State University

Language: English

Topic: Pregnancy and preeclampsia studies

Subfield: Obstetrics and Gynecology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Funder: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute