As the primary interface between maternal and fetal circulations, the placenta is subject to a
myriad of environmental exposures with the capacity to alter placental function and fetal …

Orofacial clefts (OFCs) are among the most common birth defects and impart a significant
burden on afflicted individuals and their families. It is increasingly understood that many …

Iron is an essential micronutrient and is important not only in carrying oxygen but also to the
catalytic activity of a variety of enzymes. In the fetus, it is vital to the synthesis of hemoglobin …

The mammalian lip and primary palate form when coordinated growth and morphogenesis
bring the nasal and maxillary processes into contact, and the epithelia co-mingle, remodel …

Oxidation of retinol via retinaldehyde results in the formation of the essential morphogen all-
trans-retinoic acid (ATRA). Previous studies have identified critical roles in the regulation of …

Animal, human, and in vitro data all indicate that excess vitamin A stimulates bone
resorption and inhibits bone formation. This combination would be expected to produce …

Many people take dietary supplements, but information on characteristics associated with
their use is lacking. The relationship between lifestyle behaviours, morbidity and use of …

Diet and patterns of eating during pregnancy can affect perinatal outcomes through direct
physiologic effects or by stressing the fetus in ways that permanently affect phenotype …

The consumption of a daily multivitamin among people all over the world is dramatically
increasing in recent years. Most of the people believe that if vitamins are not effective, at …

Over the past four decades, the prevalence of autism, asthma, ADHD, obesity, diabetes, and
birth defects have grown substantially among children around the world. Not coincidentally …