Losing weight before pregnancy with either diet change or liraglutide improved maternal kidney outcomes in obese mice during late pregnancy.
Both interventions protectiveWhether weight was lost through diet change or liraglutide, kidney outcomes improved equally during late pregnancy
What the researchers found
Preconception weight loss through either diet modification or liraglutide treatment improved maternal kidney outcomes in late gestation in a mouse model of obesity.
Why it matters
Obesity-related kidney problems during pregnancy are a growing concern. Showing that preconception weight loss protects the kidneys gives doctors a clear intervention window.
The numbers in context
C57BL/6 female mice were fed high-fat diet for 8 weeks. Weight loss was induced either by switching to chow diet or by liraglutide (a GLP-1 agonist).
How the study worked
Animal study using C57BL/6 female mice fed high-fat diet for 8 weeks, then randomized to continued HFD, diet switch, or liraglutide before mating.
Who was studied
C57BL/6 female mice with diet-induced obesity
What this study cannot tell us
This is a mouse study, and kidney responses during pregnancy may differ in humans. Liraglutide is not currently approved for preconception use.
How to read the evidence
Rated preliminary: animal study demonstrating proof of concept. Liraglutide is not currently approved or recommended for preconception use in humans.
When this study was published
Published in 2024. Adds to growing evidence about the importance of preconception metabolic health.
The bigger picture
Obesity-related kidney problems during pregnancy are a growing concern. Identifying a clear preconception intervention window where weight loss protects the kidneys could improve maternal and fetal outcomes.
Questions still open
- Would these findings translate to human preconception care?
- Is liraglutide safe in the preconception period in women planning pregnancy?
Common questions
Should women lose weight before getting pregnant?
Can you take liraglutide before getting pregnant?
Read the original research
Kidney outcomes are altered by preconception weight modulation in rodent mothers with obesity.
Scientific reports, 14(1), 17363
Citation
Rodrigo, Natassia; Chen, Hui; Pollock, Carol A; Glastras, Sarah J. (2024). Kidney outcomes are altered by preconception weight modulation in rodent mothers with obesity.. Scientific reports, 14(1), 17363. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-68234-9