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In a retrospective cohort study investigating the role of epigenetic control in the onset of allergic diseases, it was shown that mothers who suffered from allergic symptoms very early in pregnancy were more likely to have offspring with allergies. This was compared to mothers who did not suffer from allergies in early pregnancy, taking into account family history of allergies and total allergic response during pregnancy (10). These results indicate that gene-environment interactions during embryonic development may modify the epigenetic code in ways that may potentially lead to allergic disease.

overview of the effects of different types of drug and alcohol use during pregnancy

The Visible Embryo is a visual guide through fetal development from fertilization through pregnancy to birth. As the most profound physiologic changes occur in the "first trimester" of pregnancy, these Carnegie stages are given prominence on the birth spiral.

Aneuploidy-the incorrect number of chromosomes in a cell-is extremely common in early embryos and is the primary reason for pregnancy loss. A report published today (April 9) in Science reveals that one cause of this aneuploidy-aberrant cell divisions in the embryo-is linked to a genetic mutation carried by the mother. Astonishingly, this mutation turns out to be very common and appears to have been under positive selection during human evolution.

When women smoked daily during pregnancy, researchers identified 6,073 places where their babies' DNA was methylated differently from the DNA of nonsmokers' infants. Many of the differences were found on or near a collection of genes related to lung and nervous system development, smoking-related cancers and birth defects such as cleft lip and palate.

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania performed "stress tests" on pregnant mice using a predator's odor, restraint, or unfamiliar noises. After the mice gave birth, the scientists analyzed the bacterial communities in their vaginas and in their pups' colons. The researchers found that stress during pregnancy altered the expression levels of several proteins involved in vaginal immunity and the frequency of Lactobacillus bacteria, which, expectedly, correlated to lower frequencies of Lactobacillus within their pups' gut microbiomes. Male pups of stressed mothers also displayed an increase in anaerobic bacteria like Clostridium and Bacteroidesin.

This case study explores the recent (2010 - 2016) outbreak of neural tube defects, specifically anencephaly, in a rural three-county region of Washington state, particularly Yakima, WA. The case study focuses on the biological aspects of teratogens that may cause birth defects as well as epidemiological investigations of disease outbreaks. By the end of the case, students will have explored how our environment may have severe biological consequences on the human body during pregnancy and will have evaluated governmental and scientific investigations of a rare outbreak of birth defects. This clicker case study was developed for a non-majors biology course entitled "Human Development: Conception to Birth," although it could be taught in any introductory biology course for majors or non-majors during a unit on human reproductive biology or developmental biology. The case assumes that students have no prior knowledge of developmental biology or birth defects. The case study could also be adapted for upper-division courses by getting more in-depth on the specifics of teratogen mechanisms, the developmental biology and physiology of neural tube defects, or more complex epidemiological analyses.

Yahoo News article 4/30 Published in the journal Nature Communications, the study claims to provide strong evidence that a mother's diet before pregnancy can permanently affect her child's lifelong health by silencing certain genes.

4:00 video 93% of Americans agree that sex education should be taught in schools, but what's the best approach to get teens to practice safe sex? Read More: Sex Education Delays Teens' Sexual Activity http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03... "Teens who receive formal sex education wait longer to have sex, a new study finds - and when they do get around to doing the deed, they're more likely than teens who haven't had sex ed to use contraception." Sex Education in the U.S. is Screwing Our Kids http://www.salon.com/2014/12/01/why_s... "Government-funded abstinence programs and a lack of instructor training are failing the country's teens." Teaching Good Sex http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/20/mag... "Across the country, the approach ranges from abstinence until marriage is the only acceptable choice, contraceptives don't work and premarital sex is physically and emotionally harmful, to abstinence is usually best, but if you must have sex, here are some ways to protect yourself from pregnancy and disease."

Unborn babies can sow the seeds for rheumatoid arthritis in their mothers - and the dads might be to blame. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease, meaning the body's immune system turns on itself. In this case, it causes painful, swollen joints. Women are three times as likely to develop the condition as men, and seem to be especially vulnerable soon after pregnancy. A mother exchanges cells with the fetus while it is in the womb. "For most women, shortly after you give birth, the fetal cells clear up," says Giovanna Cruz, an epidemiologist at the University of California at Berkeley. "But in a subset of women they actually persist for decades." In these women, the fetal cells are effectively incorporated into their bodies, a process known as microchimerism.

Genetic research is leading to the development of more genetic tests that can be used for the diagnosis of genetic conditions. Genetic testing is available for infants, children, and adults. Genetic tests can be used to diagnose a disease in an individual with symptoms and to help measure risk of developing a disease. Adults can undergo preconception testing before deciding to become pregnant, and prenatal testing can be performed during a pregnancy. Results of genetic tests can help physicians select appropriate treatments for their patients.

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The projects you will find here have been curated by BIE and were gathered from online project libraries. These projects are meant to inspire your own ideas or may be adapted to fit the needs of your classroom.

The physical connection between mother and fetus is provided by the placenta, an organ, built of cells from both the mother and fetus, which serves as a conduit for the exchange of nutrients, gasses, and wastes. Cells may migrate through the placenta between the mother and the fetus, taking up residence in many organs of the body including the lung, thyroid, muscle, liver, heart, kidney and skin. These may have a broad range of impacts, from tissue repair and cancer prevention to sparking immune disorders.

When Beatrice Rienhoff was born in 2003 following an uneventful, full-term pregnancy, she was breathing well and had good color and muscle tone. She was on the small side, and there were some other subtle clues that something might be amiss. Her fingers and toes, especially on the right side of her body, were bent.