Semin Reprod Med 2009; 27(5): 358-368
DOI: 10.1055/s-0029-1237424
© Thieme Medical Publishers

Developmental Origins of Health and Disease: Brief History of the Approach and Current Focus on Epigenetic Mechanisms

Pathik D. Wadhwa1 , 2 , Claudia Buss2 , Sonja Entringer2 , James M. Swanson1
  • 1Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, California
  • 2Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, California
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
26 August 2009 (online)

ABSTRACT

“Barker's hypothesis” emerged almost 25 years ago from epidemiological studies of birth and death records that revealed a high geographic correlation between rates of infant mortality and certain classes of later adult deaths as well as an association between birthweight and rates of adult death from ischemic heart disease. These observations led to a theory that undernutrition during gestation was an important early origin of adult cardiac and metabolic disorders due to fetal programming that permanently shaped the body's structure, function, and metabolism and contributed to adult disease. This theory stimulated interest in the fetal origins of adult disorders, which expanded and coalesced ~5 years ago with the formation of an international society for developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD). Here we review a few examples of the many emergent themes of the DOHaD approach, including theoretical advances related to predictive adaptive responses of the fetus to a broad range of environmental cues, empirical observations of effects of overnutrition and stress during pregnancy on outcomes in childhood and adulthood, and potential epigenetic mechanisms that may underlie these observations and theory. Next, we discuss the relevance of the DOHaD approach to reproductive medicine. Finally, we consider the next steps that might be taken to apply, evaluate, and extend the DOHaD approach.

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Pathik D WadhwaM.D. Ph.D. 

Associate Professor of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Pediatrics, and Epidemiology

University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine, 3117 Gillespie Neuroscience Research Facility, Irvine, CA 92697-4260

Email: pwadhwa@uci.edu

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