The inverse association between circulatory placental biomarkers in early pregnancy and maternal body mass index

Maternal BMI across its full range was inversely associated with biomarkers arising from, or transferred through, the placenta. We propose that the maternal caloric environment may regulate the development of the materno-fetal interface and its capacity for nutrient transfer, supporting similar rates of early fetal-growth in the face of substantial inter-individual variation in maternal body mass.