Fetal And Placental Growth Physiology And Pathophysiology

Abstract Normal growth of an embryo/fetus is a highly complex event orchestrated by the embryonic/fetal genome and influenced by the microenvironment within the mother’s uterine cavity. The latter, in turn, is influenced by the mother’s environment, including nutrition/diet, lifestyle, activity, and stress. It is indeed a miracle that 50% of all conceptions result in a successful pregnancy, of which ~ 90% survive to full term. Recent advances in genomic and epigenomic knowledge and technologies have increased our understanding of the physiological and pathophysiological processes in development: stem cells provide optimism for cellular regenerative therapies; next-generation genomic and epigenomic technologies hold promise for improving the ability to predict pathophysiology prior to expression as diseases/disorders; and noninvasive imaging technologies will provide higher resolution diagnostic modalities. We are on the cusp of a medical revolution in developmental biology that will benefit humans in the precise prediction of human developmental disorders, allowing us healthier lives through prevention.