Epidemiological evidence links an individual's susceptibility to chronic disease in adult life to
events during their intrauterine phase of development. Biologically this should not be …

The placenta is an ephemeral but critical organ for the survival of all eutherian mammals
and marsupials. It is the primary messenger system between the mother and fetus, where …

Humans and their microbiomes have coevolved as a physiologic community composed of
distinct body site niches with metabolic and antigenic diversity. The placental microbiome …

The human placenta is a dynamic and heterogeneous organ critical in the establishment of
the fetomaternal interface and the maintenance of gestational well-being. It is also the major …

The field of genomics has expanded into subspecialties such as metagenomics over the
course of the last decade and a half. The development of massively parallel sequencing …

ABSTRACT “Barker's hypothesis” emerged almost 25 years ago from epidemiological
studies of birth and death records that revealed a high geographic correlation between rates …

There are known sex specific differences in fetal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. There
are also known differences in birthweight centile with males generally being larger than …

Although much progress is being made in understanding the molecular pathways in the
placenta that are involved in the pathophysiology of pregnancy-related disorders, a …

Adversity experienced during gestation is a predictor of lifetime neuropsychiatric disease
susceptibility. Specifically, maternal stress during pregnancy predisposes offspring to sex …

Adverse experiences during gestation such as maternal stress and infection are known risk
factors for neurodevelopmental disorders, including schizophrenia, autism, and attention …