Maternal AMPK pathway activation with uterine artery blood flow and fetal growth maintenance during hypoxia

High-altitude (HA) hypoxia lowers uterine artery (UtA) blood flow during pregnancy and birth weight. Adenosine monophosphate kinase (AMPK) activation has selective, uteroplacental vasodilator effects that lessen hypoxia-associated birth weight reductions. In this study, we determined the relationship between AMPK-pathway gene expression and metabolites in the maternal circulation during HA pregnancy as well as with the maintenance of UtA blood flow and birth weight at HA. Residents at HA (2,793 m) versus low altitude (LA; 1,640 m) had smaller UtA diameters at