Preventing extra weight gain after cesarean birth using hormone rescue
Avoiding Cesarean-induced Obesity Through Hormone Rescue
This project looks at whether replacing hormones missed during cesarean delivery can lower a child's later risk of obesity.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Delaware NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Newark, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11311875 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are using prairie voles to model how cesarean delivery changes hormone signals a baby normally gets at birth and how those changes affect weight and metabolism as the animal grows. They will give hormones that are reduced after cesarean birth and track body fat, energy use, thermoregulation, and brain signals involved in metabolism. The team will focus on whether cesarean-delivered animals gain more harmful belly fat and whether hormone 'rescue' at birth prevents that outcome. Results from this work could point to treatments or follow-up strategies for human newborns born by cesarean.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This line of research is most relevant to babies born by cesarean delivery and parents concerned about cesarean-associated obesity risk.
Not a fit: People not born by cesarean or those whose weight issues are caused by unrelated factors are unlikely to benefit directly from this specific approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could lead to newborn interventions that reduce the chance of childhood obesity after cesarean delivery.
How similar studies have performed: Observational human studies link cesarean birth to higher childhood obesity risk, but hormone-replacement approaches are largely untested in humans and have been explored mainly in animal models.
Where this research is happening
Newark, UNITED STATES
- University of Delaware — Newark, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kenkel, William — University of Delaware
- Study coordinator: Kenkel, William
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.