Fetal origins of perinatal morbidity and/or adult disease.

The developmental origin of health and disease hypothesis holds that events occurring during the early development of an individual and specifically during intrauterine life have profound consequences on future health. Low birth weight, a marker of intrauterine stress, has been linked to predisposition to hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and stroke. The compelling animal evidence and significant human epidemiologic data to support this conclusion is reviewed. In addition, we propose that early embryo manipulation and culture that occur during use of assisted reproductive technologies may represent a stressful event that could be associated with future health problems. The effects of embryo culture on early development and gene expression and methylation status is reviewed and discussed.