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Maternal Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease Linked to Offspring Steatosis

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— 1 min read

Pregnancy metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) has been linked to a higher risk of clinically significant hepatic steatosis in offspring, even when the disease was mild in the mother. Researchers found that 18% of women had MASLD, with a median proton density fat fraction (PDFF) of 5.9% on magnetic resonance imaging. Despite this, the fetal liver and placental PDFF of offspring of women with and without MASLD were not different. However, clinically significant steatosis in utero was observed in 12% of infants, all of whom were born to mothers without gestational MASLD. The study suggests that gestational MASLD is generally mild, but hepatic fat fraction increases postpartum.

Key Takeaways:

  • 18% of women in the study had pregnancy metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD).
  • The median proton density fat fraction (PDFF) of women with MASLD was 5.9% on magnetic resonance imaging.
  • Clinically significant hepatic steatosis was observed in 12% of infants in utero, all of whom were born to mothers without gestational MASLD.
  • Maternal weight, BMI, and HDL-C differed between women with and without MASLD.
  • 33% of mothers with repeat liver MRI-PDFF at 9 months postpartum had MASLD.
  • N=44 infants followed up at either 3 or 9 months of age, with only one still demonstrating significant steatosis 9 months.
  • Infants exposed to gestational MASLD did not have significant steatosis in the first year.

Statistics:

  • 57 pregnant women were recruited for the study.
  • 47 (82%) of these women were at high risk of MASLD.
  • The median PDFF of offspring of women with and without MASLD was not different.
  • 10 infants had clinically significant steatosis in utero, all of whom were born to mothers without gestational MASLD.
  • 10 mothers had MASLD at 9 months postpartum.
  • 44 infants were followed up at either 3 or 9 months of age.

Sources:

  • Maternal Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease During Pregnancy And Its Impact on Offspring Steatosis. Clinical Nutrition ESPEN, 2025.
  • Andrew T. Trout, Dept. of Radiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH.
  • Corie M. Klepper, Shun Dong, Lin Fei, Traci E. Stankiewicz, Jennifer Wayland, Maria E. Moreno-Fernandez, Senad Divanovic, Stavra A. Xanthakos, Emily DeFranco, Jessica G. Woo, and Marialena Mouzaki.

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