Maternal Fructose Intake during Pregnancy and Lactation Alters Placental Growth and Leads to Sex-Specific Changes in Fetal and Neonatal Endocrine Function

The effects of maternal fructose intake on offspring health remain largely unknown, despite the marked increase in consumption of sweetened beverages that has paralleled the obesity epidemic. The present study investigated the impact of maternal fructose intake on placental, fetal, and neonatal development. Female Wistar rats were time-mated and allocated to receive either water [control (CONT)] or fructose solution designed to provide 20% of …