A new study published in journal Genome Medicine has found that the length of pregnancy could alter the child’s DNA.
Researchers from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have mapped the relationship between the duration of pregnancy and chemical DNA changes in over 6,000 newborn babies.
They detected DNA methylation changes in thousands of genes in the umbilical cord blood with each week’s longer pregnancy.
Premature birth, which takes place before 37 consecutive weeks of pregnancy, is quite common. Worldwide, 5 to 10 percent of all children born are premature.
Children with premature birth are more vulnerable to lung or respiratory disease, neurodevelopmental disorders, and eye problems, which is especially true for those who are born extremely prematurely.
The researchers explained that during the fetal period, epigenetic processes (chemical modification of the DNA) are essential for controlling the growth and development of the fetus. One such chemical modification is DNA methylation, which in turn affects the gene activation.
First study author Simon Kebede Merid from Karolinska Institutet said, “Our new findings indicate that these DNA changes may influence the development of fetal organs.”
Prof. Erik Melén from Karolinska Institutet said, “Now we need to investigate whether the DNA changes are linked to the health problems of those born prematurely.”
Epigenetics is one of the hot research topics linked to genes, health and the environment.
Previously, Prof. Melén and his group contributed to a study, which showed that smoking during pregnancy changes DNA in newborns. They also found showed the effects of exposure to air pollution during prelacy and NDA changes in newborns, who are vulnerable to diseases such as allergy, asthma, obesity and even premature aging.
“We hope that our new findings will contribute valuable knowledge about fetal development,” said Prof. Melén, and in the long term new opportunities for better care of premature babies to avoid complications and adverse health effects.” The original article was published in Science Daily.
