Role of environmental epigenetics in perinatal and neonatal development

Abstract

A number of epigenetic changes have been linked with pediatric diseases. These include, but are not limited to, autism, schizophrenia, and intellectual disability. Epigenetic changes can occur at the parental, prenatal, and postnatal stages of life. The early focus of the field of fetal programming was on associations between prenatal exposures and metabolic diseases and related disorders such as coronary heart disease, obesity, and diabetes. Currently, active research is being conducted to understand the link between epigenetic changes induced by environmental stressors and the development of childhood and adult diseases. Understanding the epigenetic markers of a particular disease may be important in designing early intervention that can alter disease outcomes. This review focuses on the epigenetic influences of various environmental factors specifically at the prenatal and immediate postnatal stages of life.