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Females typically carry most of the burden of reproduction in mammals. In humans, this burden is exacerbated further, as the evolutionary advantage of a large and complex human brain came at a great cost of women’s reproductive health. Pregnancy thus became a highly demanding phase in a woman’s life cycle both physically and emotionally and therefore needs monitoring to assure an optimal outcome. Moreover, an increasing societal trend towards reproductive complications partly due to the increasing maternal age and global obesity pandemic demands closer monitoring of female reproductive health. This review first provides an overview of female reproductive biology and further explores utilization of large-scale data analysis and -omics techniques (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics) towards diagnosis, prognosis, and management of female reproductive disorders. In addition, we explore machine learning approaches for predictive models towards prevention and management. Furthermore, mobile apps and wearable devices provide a promise of continuous monitoring of health. These complementary technologies can be combined towards monitoring female (fertility-related) health and detection of any early complications to provide intervention solutions. In summary, technological advances (e.g., omics and wearables) have shown a promise towards diagnosis, prognosis, and management of female reproductive disorders. Systematic integration of these technologies is needed urgently in female reproductive healthcare to be further implemented in the national healthcare systems for societal benefit. publishedVersion

Pathogenesis of preeclampsia involves immune dysfunction, placental implantation, abnormal angiogenesis, excessive inflammation, hypertension that may be affected by vitamin D. Human placenta expresses all the components for vitamin D signaling: Vitamin D receptor (VDR), retinoid X receptor (RXR), 1-alpha- hydroxylase (CYP27B1) and 24- hydroxylase (CYP24A1). Vitamin D binding protein plays a role in binding and transportation of 25 hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] and 1,25(OH)2D3. Vitamin D is activated by 25-hydroxylase (CYP2R1) and 1-alpha -hydroxylase (CYP27B1) and is degraded by 24-hydroxylase (CYP24A1). Vitamin D supplementation is not recommended by WHO for pregnant women and allows recommended nutrient intake (RNI) of 200 IU (5 μg) per day. Further research requires serum 25(OH)D analysis and assessment of maternal and infant outcomes; pre-conceptional vitamin D status.

Background: Preeclampsia is the major cause of maternofetal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. Insulin‑like growth factor (IGF) system has a crucial role in correct embryonic and placental development and growth. Conflicting data are available regarding IGF‑1 in preeclamptic mothers. The extent to which leptin per se mediates the fetal growth and developmental abnormalities associated with preeclampsia remains to be clarified.Aim: Hence, the present study was planned to assess IGF‑1 and leptin levels in maternal and cord blood of preeclamptics and to compare them with normotensive pregnant women.Subjects and Methods: The present study was conducted in the Department of Biochemistry in collaboration with the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Pt. B.D. Sharma, PGIMS, Rohtak. Totally, 25 normotensive pregnant and 25 preeclamptic women were enrolled, and serum leptin and IGF‑1 levels were analyzed in maternal and cord blood of women by enzyme‑linked immunosorbent assay.Results: IGF‑I levels were lowered in maternal blood of preeclamptic as compared to normotensive mothers (P < 0.001). Leptin levels were significantly increased in preeclamptic mothers as compared to normotensive mothers (P < 0.001). Leptin had a positive correlation with IGF in both groups and it is highly statistically significant in preeclamptic mothers. Conclusion: Findings of the present study suggest that IGF‑1 and leptin play a central role in controlling fetal growth.KEY WORDS: Cord blood, insulin‑like growth factor‑1, leptin, preeclamptics, pregnancy

Objectives: Primordial prevention of chronic disease is of clinical and public health importance. Considering the fetal onset of atherosclerosis, we aimed to determine the cord blood level of lipoproteins and apolipoproteins as well as their correlation with birth weight and gestational age. Methods: This cross-sectional study comprised 100 healthy Indian newborns. Ten ml. of cord blood was collected from placental end of umbilical vein. Serum was separated by centrifugation and ana-lyzed on the same day for lipid profile including total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high density lipoprotein- cholesterol (HDL-C), very low density lipoproteincholesterol (VLDL) and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), apolipoproteins A-I and B (ApoA-I, ApoB). Atherogenic index (AI) was calculated as the ratio of ApoB to ApoA-I. Results: Cord blood of female newborns had higher TC, HDL-C, LDL-C, Apo A-I, Apo B and AI as compared to male newborns, whereas TG and VLDL-C were higher in male than in female newborns. Significant positive correlation was observed between cord blood Apo A-I and HDL-C (r= 0.45, p0.05). Conclusions: These findings are another confirmatory evidence for the association of prenatal factors with cord blood lipid pro-file, and can serve as starting point for studying lipid transport system changes during early life.

There is a state of hypothyroxinemia in normal pregnancy and in preeclampsia, when biochemically raised TSH occurs. Identification of changes in thyroid hormones in preeclampsia might be of help in preventing the occurrence of preeclampsia.The present study was carried out in a hundred women with preeclampsia, 100 age- and parity matched normotensive pregnant women and 50 age-matched healthy non-pregnant women. Thyroid hormones [total T3,T4 and TSH], serum albumin and uric acid were analyzed in these subjects.Women with preeclampsia had higher TT3, TT4 levels as compared to non pregnant women [p0.05], but preeclamptic TT3, TT4 levels were lower compared to normotensive pregnant women [p0.05, p0.01]. TSH levels were higher in both preeclampticnormotensive pregnant women compared to nonpregnant women [p0.001] and levels were lower in normotensive pregnant women as compared to nonpregnant women [p0.001]. A significant negative correlation was observed between birth weight and TSH levels [r=-0.296, p0.001] serum albumin and TSH levels in preeclamptic women [r=-0.781, p0.01]. Also, a significant positive correlation was observed between birth weight and albumin [r=0.298, p0.001]; birth weight and serum uric acid levels [r=-0.46, p0.01], and serum albumin and TT3TT4 levels [r=0.409r=0.35, p0.01 respectively].These findings indicate that there is state of hypothyroxinemia in normal pregnancy and in preeclampsia. Identification of changes in thyroid hormones in preeclampsia might be of help in preventing the occurrence of preeclampsia.Gebelikte ve preeklampside TSH yükselmesi görüldüğünde ortaya çıkan bir hipotiroksinemi durumu vardır. Gebelikte tiroid hormonlarının değişiminin saptanması preeklampsi gelişiminin engellenmesine yardım edebilir.Bu çalışma preeklamptik 100 gebe ve yaş eşleştirmesi yapılmış tansiyonu normal 100 gebe ve 50 gebe olmayan kadın karşılaştırılarak yapıldı. Tiroid hormonlar [total TPreeklamptik hastalar gebe olmayanlar ile karşılaştırıldığında daha yüksek TTBu bulgular normal gebelikte ve preeklampside bir hipotiroksineminin varlığını teyit eder. Gebelikte tiroid hormonlarındaki değişimlerin saptanması preeklampsi gelişiminin öngörüsünde fayda sağlayabilir.