Implications of maternal programming for fetal neurodevelopment

Abstract

The transition to motherhood is arguably the most fundamental and profound stage in the lifespan of a female. The end result is an extensive transformation of the female, affecting her behaviors, emotions, and motivations. The magnitude of physiological change required to produce successful parturition cannot be underestimated. The dynamic process of pregnancy results in alterations in maternal anatomy, physiology, and metabolism, with each organ adapting differently [1, 2]. Among the changes is the growth and development of a new organ, the placenta, that has immune, endocrine, and vascular properties [3]. In part because of, and in addition to, the influences of the placenta, a pregnant woman experiences increases in blood volumes and cardiac output, hypercoagulation, insulin resistance, and a shift from a T-helper cell (Th)-1 to a Th-2 cytokine profile in the immune system [1, 4-6]. These changes are among those comprising the extensive transformation of maternal physiology necessary to maintain the pregnancy and to prepare the maternal brain for the challenges of motherhood. © 2010 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.