Epigenetic Mechanisms Linking Prenatal Maternal Stress to Developmental Outcomes in Infants and Children

Stress during pregnancy is associated with neurodevelopmental outcomes that emerge during gestation in the fetus and persist into infancy and childhood. There are molecular, physiological, and behavioral mechanisms that serve as common pathways for this intergenerational transmission. Here we consider the role of epigenetic mechanisms that are induced by stress and impact maternal and fetal biobehavioral systems as well as the interplay between prenatal stress and the postnatal environment in shaping developmental trajectories. We explore the epigenetic variation associated with preterm birth and the consequences of this obstetric outcome.