We use cookies to make your experience better. To comply with the new e-Privacy directive, we need to ask for your consent to set the cookies. Learn more.
Can Specific Prenatal Exposure at Critical Time Points Alter Foetal Development with Life-Long Consequences?
A review by Lumley and colleagues of famine data considered relationships between acute exposures to prenatal famine and adult physical and mental health. The results showed consistent associations between prenatal famine and adult body size, diabetes, and schizophrenia. The possible mechanism cited could be epigenetic programming during early pregnancy.
These observational studies add credence to the epigenetic studies that show that early pregnancy is a critical time where a chain of events can be initiated that ultimately will increase the risk of a disease, or create an increased susceptibility to other exposures later in the life course. For example, there is a relationship between prenatal famine exposure and diagnosis of diabetes mellitus at aged 50+years. At age 59 years Dutch adults also had less DNA methylation of the imprinted IGF2 gene compared with their unexposed same sex siblings. These changes were not seen in those exposed at the end of pregnancy.
Whilst the conditions of these famine exposures are extreme these finding provide a strong rationale for ensuring adequate nutrition during the preconceptual period lasting into early pregnancy.
References:
Lumey L.H. et al. Prenatal Famine and Adult Health. Annu Rev Public Health 2011 ;32:
This website and its content is copyright of Nutri Advanced ©. All rights reserved. See our terms & conditions for more detail.
Most Popular Articles
-
Vitamin A Benefits: Research Highlights
Take a look at research highlights on vitamin A, a fascinating nutrient that has many vital roles to play in immune health and beyond -
Optimal Nutrition for Back to School
The new school year requires your child to be fully energised, ready to concentrate, able to deal with daily strains and much more - find out how you can support these. -
Hypochlorhydria and Hyperchlorhydria – Gastric Acidity Matters!
In this webinar, Dr Steven Sandberg-Lewis will review the mechanisms that control gastric pH and go on to discuss detection of altered gastric acid levels. Functional testing as well as definitive diagnostic methods and the various options for treatment and management will be fully explained. -
Hypothyroidism Protocol
Read our nutritional protocol for Hypothyroidism providing support for symptom management, addressing underlying causes and wellness and prevention.