Donor eggs Epigenetics and Motherhood
Is it possible for birth mothers to use donor eggs to have a significant effect on the development or future health of their baby? The answer is yes. Many embryo donation moms worry that they won’t share their baby’s genetic information because the baby will have its DNA from only the egg donor. Many studies have demonstrated that the prenatal uterine setting plays a vital role in fetus brain development as well as childhood metabolism, immune system health, and many others. You can read on to learn more about how your body will impact the future development of your child.
The Prenatal window is important
There are several sensitive moments in human development. Your baby’s well-being is directly affected by the pregnancy period or time before conception, and after-birth period. The most important time in human evolution is the time spent in the uterus by a child. This is the pregnant window.
The uterus used to be viewed as an oven in the past. Although we have known for generations that uterus provides nutrients and oxygen to the baby, only recently has it been explored how important the uterine ecosystem is in human growth. The maternal environment plays a major role in brain development, metabolism, and immune system function.
This makes perfect biological sense. Prenatal windows allow mothers to prepare their babies for the outside world. A healthy baby will be able to communicate with her mother about healthy environment conditions. Unfavorable environment conditions can also negatively affect a baby. This phenomenon is well-studied and shows just how significant a mother’s living conditions can have on her baby’s growth.
Psychological Stress & Your Baby’s Mental Health
While you are unlikely to experience such stressful conditions during your pregnancy as the Dutch Hunger Winter, daily stressors can still have an effect on your baby. While physical stressors are clearly detrimental to maternal health, new evidence indicates that maternal psychological stress during pregnancy may increase the likelihood of poor mental and physical outcomes.
Cortisol levels can increase in women under psychological stress. Cortisol is also known to be the stress hormone. It can pass through placentas and cause problems with fetal growth. Research shows a link between maternal cortisol concentrations and cognitive performance in childhood and changes in brain anatomy. Psychological stress, as well as maternal inflammatory reactions, can also result in inflammatory proteins being transmitted to your baby via their placenta. These inflammatory compounds can damage the nerves in the fetal head, which can result in delayed cognitive development. They can also cause emotional and behavioral difficulties as the child gets older.
Mother’s psychological stress and inflammation can cause physical problems in your baby. This inflammation can make your child more susceptible to obesity, insulin resistant, abnormal cholesterol profiles, and other health problems. Stress is a ordinary part of our everyday exists. Your psychological health can have an impact on your child’s development.
Learn more about egg donation and donor eggs epigenetics. How donor eggs can help increase the chances of a healthy pregnancy pay a brief visit to Fertility Clinic.
