London: A mother's sweet tooth can affect girls more than the boys, especially when the baby is in the womb.
Excess sugar can block nutrients from reaching female foetuses affecting them. But male foetuses seem to be least affected, say researchers from the University of Auckland in New Zealand.
Tests on mammals showed that the intake of sugar affected unborn male and female offsprings differently, reports the journal Endocrinology.
"There has been a marked increase in the consumption of fructose-sweetened beverages and foods, particularly among women of reproductive age," said Mark Vickers of Auckland University, who led the study, according to a university statement.
Female foetuses of rats fed the equivalent of 26 teaspoons of fructose solution daily, found in honey and fruit had smaller placentas than those on a low sugar diet.
Fructose and blood glucose levels noted in the female foetuses of fructose-fed rats were higher than their male counterparts or any of the rat foetuses given only water.
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