The impact of maternal obesity during pregnancy on offspring immunity

• Children of obese mothers have higher incidence of diabetes and asthma.
• Atherosclerosis and all cause mortality are increased in children of obese mothers.
• Maternal obesity exacerbates systemic inflammation in offspring.
• Offspring of obese mothers have reduced responses to infection.
• Maternal obesity changes epigenetic profiles within offspring's leukocytes.

In the United States, approximately 64% of women of childbearing age are either overweight or obese. Maternal obesity during pregnancy is associated with a greater risk for adverse maternal–fetal outcomes. Adverse health outcomes for the offspring can persist into adulthood, increasing the incidence of several chronic conditions including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and asthma. Since these diseases have a significant inflammatory component, these observations are indicative of perturbation of the normal development and maturation of the immune system of the offspring in utero. This hypothesis is strongly supported by data from several rodent studies. Although the mechanisms of these perturbations are not fully understood, it is thought that increased placental inflammation due to obesity may directly affect neonatal development through alterations in nutrient transport. In this review we examine the impact of maternal obesity on the neonatal immune system, and potential mechanisms for the changes observed.