The "Barker hypothesis" postulates that a number of organ structures and associated functions undergo programming during embryonic and fetal life, which determines the set pont of physiological and metabolic responses that carry into adulthood. Hence, stimulus or insult at a critical period of embryonic and fetal development, can result in developmental adaptations that produce permanent structural physiological, and metabolic changes, thereby predisposing an individual to cardiovascular, metabolic and endocrine disease in adult life. This article will provide an evidence linking these disease to fetal undernutrition and an overview of previous studies in this area, the current advances in understanding the mechanism and the role of the placenta in fetal programming.
Adult ; Critical Period (Psychology) ; Embryonic and Fetal Development ; Endocrine System Diseases ; Fetal Development* ; Humans ; Malnutrition ; Placenta

The “Barker hypothesis” postulates that a number of organ structures and associated functions undergo programming during embryonic and fetal life, which determines the set point of physiological and metabolic responses that carry into adulthood. Hence, any stimulus or insult at a critical period of embryonic and fetal development can result in developmental adaptations that produce permanent structural, physiological and metabolic changes, thereby predisposing an individual to cardiovascular, metabolic and endocrine disease in adult life. This article will provide evidence linking these diseases to fetal undernutrition and an overview of previous studies in this area as well as current advances in understanding the mechanism and the role of the placenta in fetal programming.
Adult ; Chronic Disease ; Critical Period (Psychology) ; Embryonic and Fetal Development ; Endocrine System Diseases ; Fetal Development* ; Fetal Nutrition Disorders ; Humans ; Malnutrition ; Placenta

Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is characterized by fetal compromise and delayed neurological maturation. We report 3 cases of early FGR in the 26th week of gestation, based on hemodynamic Doppler monitoring, conventional cardiotocography, and non-invasive fetal electrocardiography (NI-FECG). Fetal heart rate variability (HRV), beat-to-beat variations, and fetal autonomic brain age scores (fABASs) were normal despite the absence of umbilical diastolic flow in the first case and the pregnancy continued to 30 weeks. NI-FECG helped achieve better fetal maturity. Fetal HRV and fABASs were low in the second and third cases. Fetal demise occurred soon in both cases. We conclude that NI-FECG could be a prospective method for the detection of fetal distress in early FGR.
Brain ; Cardiotocography ; Electrocardiography ; Embryonic and Fetal Development ; Female ; Fetal Death ; Fetal Development ; Fetal Distress ; Fetus ; Heart Rate, Fetal ; Hemodynamics ; Methods ; Pregnancy ; Prospective Studies

Adult ; Embryonic Development ; Female ; Fetal Growth Retardation ; etiology ; physiopathology ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, First

Conjoined twins show varying degree of conjoining in either facing or side-by-side fashion. Cephalothoracopagus janiceps is a prototype of facing anomaly in which the two bodies demonstrated a cross symmetry to the midline, that is axial symmetry. Interfacial and intersternal lines crossed at a right angle and no abnormality of situs was associated. Dicephalus dipus dibrachius is a case of side-by-side union, in which the bodies facing nearly the same direction were symmetrical to the middle sagittal plane. Abnormal situs of one was always associated. Other types of conjoined twins as thoracopagus lie between the two extremes of facing and side-by-side union. The three dimensional architectures of the organs in each type would be explained using cross sectional figures of skull, thorax and pelvis. Although the facing twins share the internal organs without fusion, the organs in the side-by-side component are fused with modification of the situs. We postulate sixteen pairs of situs and four manners of division for the explanation of the midline organs and the presence of a dominant co-twin. The splenic locations in a given cardiopulmonary situs are evaluated for the appraisal and applicability of these hypotheses.
Embryonic and Fetal Development ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Twins, Conjoined/*classification/embryology/pathology ; Viscera/abnormalities/embryology

PURPOSE: There are several hypotheses explaining the development of discoid lateral meniscus. However, it is still unclear and there is no report to find disc-shaped meniscus in prenatal period. The author was to find out which stage of the fetal development the lateral meniscus has a shape of a disc. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A study about the human knee menisci was carried out using a total of 31 human embryos and 69 human fetuses. Serial sections and careful dissection were performed. RESULTS: The menisci were indicated after stage 21 of development by close-packed cells. Collagenous fibers in the menisci were more prominent and organized by time and blood vessels were prominently located in the peripheral and intermediate one-thirds, but still identified throughout all parts of the menisci. The authors could not find a disc-shaped meniscus during prenatal development. CONCLUSION: The menisci assumed their characteristic shapes early in prenatal development, but the prenatal menisci were very cellular and intrameniscal blood vessels were numerous. Although discoid meniscus is attributed to congenital anomalies by most authors, it also seems to be developed under specific conditions and influenced by mechanical factors after birth.
Blood Vessels ; Collagen ; Embryonic Structures ; Fetal Development ; Fetus ; Humans* ; Knee Joint* ; Knee* ; Menisci, Tibial ; Parturition

The study aims to investigate the embryo-fetus development toxicity of the novel PPAR-δ agonist HS060098 on SD rats. The pregnant rats that were randomly divided into the solvent control group (1% hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose water solution) and HS060098 suspension groups (10, 30 and 100 mg x kg(-1) xd(-1)) were orally administered with HS060098 suspension or vehicle during the gestation of 6 -15 days (GD6-15). At termination (GD20), female rats were sacrificed. The pregnant females were evaluated by corpora lutea count, implantation sites, existence and death of embryos. Fetal sex, weight, externals, variations and malformations of viscus and skeleton were observed. The results show that there were no significant abnormality in maternal general conditions and fetal appearance as well as viscera, but in the 100 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) group, the maternal weight gain decreased greatly (P < 0.01) and the skeletal ossification delayed remarkably (P < 0.01); in the 30 mg x kg(-1) xd(-1) group, the fatal and litter number of incompletely ossified sternebrae II was higher than those of the control group (P < 0.05); the skeletal malformations occurred in all dose groups, which indicate that the novel PPAR-δ agonist HS060098 had maternal toxicity and adversely effected fetal skeletal development under the experimental conditions.
Animals ; Bone and Bones ; drug effects ; Embryonic Development ; drug effects ; Female ; Fetal Weight ; PPAR delta ; agonists ; Pregnancy ; Rats ; Toxicity Tests

BACKGROUND: Nitrous oxide exposure for long periods during gestation causes the increased fetal wastage, growth retardation, morphological abnormalities in rodents. Most studies have explained deleterious effects of nitrous oxide on postimplantation embryo development. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of nitrous oxide on embryo after the fertilization in superovulated BALB/c mice. METHODS: Pregnant mice were exposed to 70% nitrous oxide in oxygen for 6, 12 and 24 hours on the day of gestation, and 2-cell stage embryos were cultured to blastocyst. Reproductive data were determined at cesarean section on 16th day of gestation based on embryonic developmental failure in vitro by 24 hours nitrous oxide. The protective effects of folinic acid or methionine against inhibition of 2-cell embryo development were also evaluated. RESULTS: Blastocyst development was significantly lower in 12 and 24 hours nitrous oxide group than in the control and 6 hours nitrous oxide group. The pregnancy rate and the mean number of implantations were significantly lower in 24 hours nitrous oxide group than in the control. No significant differences in percentage of the living fetus, the dead fetus, the resorption per implantation, the mean fetal weight and the crown-rump length were observed between nitrous oxide group and control group. There was no significant difference between the nitrous oxide group and the nitrous exposed group receiving methionine and folinic acid. CONCLUSIONS: The exposure to high concentration of nitrous oxide for a long time after the fertilization in mice may be possibility of the early abortion of embryos, whereas there is not any influence on fetus after the implantation.
Anesthetics ; Animals ; Blastocyst ; Cesarean Section ; Crown-Rump Length ; Embryonic Development ; Embryonic Structures* ; Female ; Fertilization* ; Fetal Weight ; Fetus ; Gases ; Leucovorin ; Methionine ; Mice* ; Nitrous Oxide* ; Oxygen ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Rate ; Rodentia

Alcohol ingestion during pregnancy can be damaging to embryonic and fetal development. A specific pattern of malformation, identified as Fetal alcohol syndrome, has been documented in 1~2 of every 1,000 live infant births Fetal alcohol syndrome is characterized by growth deficiency, facial abnormalities, cardiac defects, minor joint and limb abnormalities, as well as central nervous system dysfunction, including microcephaly, mental retardation and abnormal neurobehavioral development. However, there are few reports of fetal alcohol syndrome associated with hormonal abnormality or amenorrhea. Recently, a case of secondary amenorrhea, which developed in a 19-year-old woman with fetal alcohol syndrome, was experienced at our institute, but the exact cause of the amenorrhea was difficulty to find. Herein, this case is reported, with a review of the literature.
Amenorrhea* ; Central Nervous System ; Eating ; Embryonic and Fetal Development ; Extremities ; Female ; Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders* ; Humans ; Infant ; Intellectual Disability ; Joints ; Microcephaly ; Parturition ; Pregnancy ; Young Adult

The safety of human exposure to an ever-increasing number and diversity of electromagnetic field (EMF) sources both at work and at home has become a public health issue. To date, many in vivo and in vitro studies have revealed that EMF exposure can alter cellular homeostasis, endocrine function, reproductive function, and fetal development in animal systems. Reproductive parameters reported to be altered by EMF exposure include male germ cell death, the estrous cycle, reproductive endocrine hormones, reproductive organ weights, sperm motility, early embryonic development, and pregnancy success. At the cellular level, an increase in free radicals and [Ca2+]i may mediate the effect of EMFs and lead to cell growth inhibition, protein misfolding, and DNA breaks. The effect of EMF exposure on reproductive function differs according to frequency and wave, strength (energy), and duration of exposure. In the present review, the effects of EMFs on reproductive function are summarized according to the types of EMF, wave type, strength, and duration of exposure at cellular and organism levels.
Animals ; DNA Breaks ; Electromagnetic Fields ; Embryonic Development ; Estrous Cycle ; Female ; Fetal Development ; Free Radicals ; Germ Cells ; Homeostasis ; Humans ; Magnets ; Male ; Organ Size ; Pregnancy ; Public Health ; Reproduction ; Sperm Motility