Leveraging IVF to Identify Prenatal Effects Independent of Shared Maternal-Child Genes
Columbia University
Summary
This study examines how maternal stress during pregnancy affects infant brain and behavioral development, focusing on whether these effects are due to the prenatal environment or shared genes. By comparing IVF pregnancies using donor eggs/embryos (no shared genetics) with non-donor IVF pregnancies, the investigators aim to understand how stress influences the baby's development independent of genetic factors. Participants will complete questionnaires, provide blood samples, and take part in placenta and cord blood collection, fetal monitoring, and newborn brain activity assessments. Aim 1: The influence of maternal distress on perinatal neurobehavioral development. Hypotheses: Independent of IVF group status, higher maternal AL will be associated with higher 3rd trimester FHR reactivity, lower FHR variability, AND lower FHR-movement coupling Aim 2: Maternal distress affecting placenta gene methylation. Hypotheses: Independent of IVF group status, maternal AL will be associated with placenta differential DNA methylation in glucocorticoid-regulating genes (FKBP5 and HSD11B2), Aim 3: Maternal experiences associated with unique placenta transcriptomic profiles. Hypotheses: Independent of IVF group status, maternal AL and well-being each will be associated with unique placenta gene expression in pro-inflammatory genes
Description
To rigorously test the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) research model, this project will leverage the spectacular scientific advancements of in vitro fertilization (IVF) and compare maternal prenatal distress effects between IVF donor oocyte/embryo and non-donor oocyte pregnancies. This will be the first study to use multidisciplinary (neurobehavioral, epigenetic, transcriptomic) methods with adoption-at-conception pregnant individuals to determine whether prenatal programming can be detected independent of shared maternal-child genes. Decades of prospective DOHaD research…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18–50 years
- Sex
- Female
- Healthy volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Individuals at 22-26 gestational weeks with donor and homologous IVF pregnancies, ages 18-50. 2. Participants must be patients receiving their perinatal health care through Columbia University Irving Medical Center's Department of OB/GYN and delivering at New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital. 3. Participants will include the offspring of patients receiving care at the above institutions. 4. Enrollment Location(s): Columbia University Irving Medical Center's Department of OB/GYN, delivering at New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital.…
Interventions
- OtherPrenatal maternal psychosocial and biological assessment protocol
This is not a therapeutic or experimental intervention. The data-collection protocol includes structured psychosocial questionnaires, physiological monitoring, maternal blood draws, placental and cord blood collection, and newborn physiological monitoring. These procedures are used to observe associations between maternal prenatal distress and infant outcomes. All participants undergo the same assessments; no clinical treatment or behavioral manipulation is delivered.
Location
- Columbia University Irving Medical Center/New York Presbyterian HospitalNew York, New York