Metabolomics and the great obstetrical syndromes - GDM, PET, and IUGR

Gestational diabetes mellitus, intrauterine growth restriction, and preeclamptic toxemia are common pregnancy complications that can have detrimental effects on morbidity and mortality of the mother and fetus as well as long-term health outcomes. Although they are distinct conditions, they may occur together and are often considered together as they share a common etiology of inadequate placental perfusion. The discovery and study of preventative treatments is hampered by a lack of effective screening tools to accurately identify women at the highest risk of disease. Metabolomics, an omic science, is the global quantitative assessment of endogenous metabolites within a biological system. It has proven to be a rapid approach in the identification of biomarkers predictive of the outcome of a pathological condition and the individual's response to a pharmacological treatment. We review the current and potential applications of metabolomics in maternal fetal medicine, focusing on its use as a biomarker for great obstetrical syndromes diagnosis. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.