Plasma fibrinogen and factor VII concentrations in adults after prenatal exposure to famine

Abstract

To assess the effect of maternal malnutrition during different stages of gestation on plasma concentrations of fibrinogen and factor VII, we investigated 725 people, aged 50 years, born around the time of the Dutch famine 1944-5. After adjustment for sex, plasma fibrinogen concentrations differed by -0.01 g/l (95% confidence interval, -0.14-0.11) in those exposed in late gestation, by -0.03 g/l (-0.16-0.11) in those exposed in mid gestation, and by 0.13 g/l (-0.03-0.30) in those exposed in early gestation, compared with non-exposed people (those born before and those conceived after the famine pooled together). Plasma factor VII concentrations differed by 0.4% (-5.4% to 6.6%) in those exposed to famine in late gestation, by 1.5% (-4.6% to 8.1%) in those exposed in mid gestation. and by -11.8% (-18.4 to -4.8%) in those exposed in early gestation, compared with nonexposed people. Size at birth was not associated with plasma concentrations of fibrinogen or factor VII. Our finding that factor VII concentrations were significantly lower in people whose mothers had been exposed to famine in early pregnancy suggests that liver function may be affected by undernutrition in early gestation.