The concept of the fetus, the placenta, and the mother as a functional unit originated in the 1950s. More recent is the recognition that the placenta itself is an endocrine organ capable of synthesizing virtually every hormone, growth factor, and…
Profound physiologic changes occur in the cardiovascular, respiratory, and renal systems during pregnancy. These adaptations begin soon after conception and continue as gestation advances, yet most are almost completely reversed within weeks to months after delivery. These physiologic adaptations are…
Pregnancy as an Allograft Occurrences of recurrent abortion, preeclampsia, or hemolytic diseases of the newborn raise the rhetorical question, “Why did your mother reject you?” However, when considering the complexity of maternal-fetal immune interactions and the vast number of successful…
Preterm Birth Syndrome: Phenotypic Classification In humans, singleton pregnancies last on average 280 days (40 weeks) from the first day of the last menstrual period to the estimated date of delivery. Preterm birth (PTB) is defined as birth between 20…
Labor is the physiologic process by which the products of conception are passed from the uterus to the outside world, and it is common to all mammalian viviparous species. Considerable evidence suggests that the fetoplacental unit primarily controls the timing…
The incidence of multiple births has increased dramatically over the past 5 decades. In the United States, twin birth rates increased almost twofold between 1971 and 2014. This sharp increase in twin births has been linked to two related factors:…
Amniotic fluid (AF) is necessary for normal human fetal growth and development. The fluid volume cushions the fetus, protecting it from mechanical trauma, and its bacteriostatic properties may help to maintain a sterile intrauterine environment. The space created by the…
Miscarriage, fetal growth restriction, and preeclampsia are pathologies generally arising from events that go awry in the early developmental period. Most fetal malformations arise in early embryogenesis. Thus to accurately diagnose and design effective treatments for these conditions, an understanding…
Detecting the Genetic Basis of Disease Genetic Variation Each human being’s complete genetic sequence reveals a significant amount of genetic variation. The collection of single nucleotide variations and copy number variations within an individual forms a genetic backdrop that influences…
The Human Genome Project was completed on October 21, 2004, and provided the primary structure (nucleotide sequence) of all chromosomes. However, in the nearly 150 years preceding this breakthrough, there were major discoveries that were equally relevant. Gregor Mendel, known…