“…In fact, conditions associated with fetal hypoxia, such as placental insufficiency, living at high altitude, anemia, pulmonary diseases, preeclampsia, and smoking, have also been associated with IUGR. 140,141 By exposing pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats to a hypoxic environment (12% oxygen) during the last third of pregnancy (day 15 to 21), our group has previously shown (ex vivo) that IUGR rat offspring demonstrate several cardiac structural and functional changes during adulthood. These include increased expression of collagen type I and III fibers, altered ß/a myosin heavy chains ratio (ß/ aMHC), increased susceptibility to ischemia reperfusion injury, decreased activity of matrix metalloproteinase 2, 70 and the development of ventricular hypertrophy, diastolic dysfunction, and pulmonary hypertension with age.…”