Don’t sugar coat it: the effects of gestational diabetes on the placental vasculature

The placenta is a temporary organ, which facilitates the exchange of nutrients, waste and gases between the maternal and fetal circulatory systems. To perform its role, the placenta is a villous structure, which branches to cover a large surface area. In gestational diabetes (GDM), a major complication that affects otherwise healthy pregnancies, the placenta displays aberrant vasculature, including altered vascularization, villous immaturity, and endothelial dysfunction. Several contributors including reactive oxygen species (ROS), advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and the dysregulation of key angiogenic factors have been attributed to vascular dysfunction in GDM.