Parental Roles Prior to Fetal Development

Writer: Angel Joseph

Editor: Janie Chan

A mother’s health before, during, and after pregnancy has been known to be a vital contributor to the child’s growth and development. Recent studies have come to show an overlooked significance in the father’s health as well. Through these findings, it can be noted that the father’s lifestyle, routines, and diet before and during conception influence the health of the child as well as the quality of the placenta which grows in the womb during pregnancy. It’s an organ that connects to the umbilical cord, which provides the growing fetus with nutrition and sufficient vitamins from the mother. Since the placenta plays such a vital role in a child’s development, understanding how a father influences this process over nine months is crucial even before conception. 

Although genetic contributions from both the mother and the father are important to the development of the embryo, it should be noted that a father provides more than DNA or genetic information. Sperm quality is a vital indicator of the father’s health and it influences the development through epigenetic changes. Sperm contains RNA and other proteins, such as calcium, which influences the development status in the fetus's early stages. Research shows that sperm quality can be affected by external factors, which are then expressed in the offspring's genes. Sperm quality is characterized by the contents in the sperm such as concentration, motility, volume, vitality, and pH level of the sperm. This is a significant note to make since, in recent years, sperm quality has declined due to the father’s exposure to environmental toxins, such as pharmaceutical drugs. Other influences such as poor diet, lack of exercise, obesity, trauma, alcohol use, etc., further affect the development of the child in utero (Dimofski, 2021). Furthermore, in vitro fertilization births (IVF) that have used sperm from fathers that have a high fat diet show delays in embryonic development, low frequency in blastocyst formation and a significantly lower capacity of embryos being able to implant in the uterine wall. These kinds of interferences in a healthy pregnancy can lead to transgenerational repercussions (Cechinel, 2022).

A study determining the effects of paternal obesity and its effects on fetal development found that if a father’s diet consists of fruits, vegetables, and other sources of whole grain produce, the quality of sperm is healthier. Foods such as processed meats, artificially made meals, and insufficient intakes of nutrients lead to a complicated pregnancy as well as endanger the placenta. The study showed that children who have abnormalities and other medical problems are closely tied to fathers who are obese (Lin, 2022). Biologically speaking, obesity causes inflammation and changes how genes are expressed, which affects how the placenta functions to house the fetus. More often than not, obesity and the inflammation of stomach organs results in premature birth. Epigenetic inheritance is a process in which the consumption of food affects how genes are expressed but doesn't change the DNA. Regulated diets can cause DNA methylation (adding methyl groups to DNA proteins) in sperm which changes how genes can be expressed. These alterations can provide better health and nutrition for the child, while in the placenta through processes like placenta accreta (prevention of unwanted cells), regulation of the progesterone hormone, and protection of the placenta from trophoblast invasion (cells attacking the uterine wall) (Bhadsavle, 2022). 

While maternal impacts on pregnancies take over the spotlight, paternal effects are also a critical component in the health of the child. Further research should be conducted for holistic approaches in educating fathers about their role in their child’s life prior to birth and how they are vital to the child’s development prior to conception. Public health institutions should emphasize the importance of this topic and allow men to educate themselves. As research advances, it is important to stay aware of things that individuals are actively contributing towards. Remember, choose healthy and save more than one life. 

Sources:

Bhadsavle, Sanat S, and Michael C Golding. “Paternal Epigenetic Influences on Placental Health and Their Impacts on Offspring Development and Disease.” Frontiers in Genetics, vol. 13, 18 Nov. 2022, https://doi.org/10.3389/fgene.2022.1068408. 

Cechinel, Laura R., et al. “Parental Obesity-Induced Changes in Developmental Programming.” Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, vol. 10, 2022, p. 918080, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36274855/, https://doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2022.918080. 

Dimofski, Pauline, et al. “Consequences of Paternal Nutrition on Offspring Health and Disease.” Nutrients, vol. 13, no. 8, 17 Aug. 2021, p. 2818, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8400857/, https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13082818. 

Lin, Jing, et al. “Effects of Paternal Obesity on Fetal Development and Pregnancy Complications: A Prospective Clinical Cohort Study.” Frontiers in Endocrinology, vol. 13, 14 Mar. 2022, https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2022.826665.