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Fetal programming, also known as prenatal programming, is the theory that environmental cues experienced during fetal development play a seminal role in determining health trajectories across the lifespan. Three main forms of programming that occur due to changes in the maternal environment are:
An example of this is type 2 diabetes. In their review, Barker and Hales discuss evidence that beta cells abnormally develop due to malnutrition during fetal development, causing insulin abnormalities later in life. The review also notes that low birth weight alone does not necessarily mean that it is a manifestation of thrifty phenotype.
Epidemiologist David Barker was the earliest proponent of the theory of fetal origins of adult disease, prompting the theory to be denoted as "Barker's hypothesis". In 1986, Barker published findings proposing a direct link between prenatal nutrition and late-onset coronary heart disease. [4]
Barker (2012) aims to demonstrate how variable binding can function through the usage of continuations without c-command. This is achieved by avoiding the usage of c-command and instead focusing on the notion of precedence in order to present a system that is capable of binding variables and accounting events such as crossover violation.
Maternal stress, therefore, exposes the foetus to high cortisol levels. These levels have been linked to neurological and behavioral regulation issues in the child later in life. [33] For example, cognitive performance at 5 years of age was impaired in kids who mother had experienced stress from a catastrophic ice storm.
A number of these criticisms have been addressed over recent years. For example, the biopsychosocial pathways model describes how it is possible to conceptually separate, define, and measure biological, psychological, and social factors, and thereby seek detailed interrelationships among these factors. [54]
Maternal stress levels may affect the developing child's intelligence. The timing and duration of stress can greatly alter the fetus' brain development which can have long-term effects on intelligence. Maternal reactions to stress such as increased heart rate are dampened during pregnancy in order to protect the fetus.
For example, in the context of depression, the diathesis-stress model can help explain why Person A may become depressed while Person B does not, even when exposed to the same stressors. [7] More recently, the diathesis-stress model has been used to explain why some individuals are more at risk for developing a disorder than others. [9]