Environmental causes of birth defects have increasingly been recognized since the mid-20th century. The teratogenic effects of maternal infections such as rubella and therapeutic drugs such as thalidomide were first reported by alert clinicians. Among clinicians and researchers who have contributed significantly to our knowledge of these environmental causes, Norman Gregg was a Sydney ophthalmo...

Environmental factors have long-lasting effects on brain development and behavior. One way experiences are propagated is via epigenetic modifications to the genome. Environmentally-driven epigenetic modifications show incredible brain region- and sex-specificity, and many brain regions affected are ones involved in maternal behavior. In rodent models, females are typically the primary caregiver...

The patterns of association between maternal or paternal and neonatal phenotype may offer insight into how neonatal characteristics are shaped by evolutionary processes, such as conflicting parental interests in fetal investment and obstetric constraints. Paternal interests are theoretically served by maximizing fetal growth, and maternal interests by managing investment in current and future o...

Exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) during pregnancy may have adverse effects on the mother and infant. This study investigates the association of maternal exposure to SHS with low birthweight (LBW) in infants. Smoking during pregnancy has been linked to multiple complications for both mother and infant. To examine association of LBW and environmental tobacco smoke exposure during pregnancy, we ...

OBJECTIVE To determine if prenatal, pregnancy, or postpartum-related environmental factors are associated with multiple sclerosis (MS) risk in children. METHODS This is a case-control study of children with MS or clinically isolated syndrome and healthy controls enrolled at 16 clinics participating in the US Network of Pediatric MS Centers. Parents completed a comprehensive environmental ques...

Plants adapt to environment by plastic growth which will be transferred to offspring through transgenerational effect. Performance and response of maternal and offspring plant will affect population dynamics and community composition. However, it is scarcely understood how maternal nutrient environment affect the performance and response of offspring through transgenerational effect. Here we st...