The possibility that an increase in maternal fatness might further enhance
pregnancy-induced insulin insensitivity was investigated in ewes pregnant with
one fetus. After selection of fat and lean ewes, they were fed to maintain
maternal energy balance throughout pregnancy. A difference in insulin
sensitivity of ewes in either a medium condition [score 2·9,
0·32± 0·031 kg fat/kg fat-free empty body (FFBW),
n = 7] or lean body condition (score
2·0, 0·16±0.028 kg fat/kg FFBW,
n = 8) at Day 136 of pregnancy was inferred by
comparing their insulin response to an injection of glucose (350 mg/kg
liveweight). The ewes were slaughtered at Day 146 of pregnancy to allow fetal
weight, fetal fatness, and maternal fatness to be related to the capacity of
the ewe to release insulin. The fatter ewes released more insulin in response
to the injection of glucose (2. 54 log area units under the insulin response
curve v. 2·22 for the lean ewes, pooled s.e.
= 0·092, P < 0·05), yet cleared
the glucose from their blood streams at the same rate as the leaner ewes.
Because the fat ewes required more insulin to remove a similar amount of
exogenous glucose at a similar rate to the lean ewes, we suggest that the fat
ewes were less sensitive to insulin. Further, the fetuses of the fatter ewes,
while not different in total weight, had higher levels of body fat than those
of the leaner ewes (29·4 v. 23·8 g/kg
FFBW, pooled s.e. r = 1·32,
P < 0·05). Fetal fatness was also positively
correlated to the magnitude of insulin release by the ewe
(r = 0·61, P <
0·05). Since glucose is the major precursor of fetal fat, these data
support our contention that a reduction in maternal insulin sensitivity,
brought on by an increase in maternal fatness, could partition more glucose to
the fetus. If fat reserves aid lamb survival, lambs from fat ewes rather than
lean ewes may have a better chance of survival, particularly in cold
conditions.