It's the mother!: How assumptions about the causal primacy of maternal effects influence research on the developmental origins of health and disease. (September 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sharp, Gemma C.; Lawlor, Deborah A.; Richardson, Sarah S.
• Is Part Of: Social science & medicine. Volume 213(2018)
• Page Start: 20
• Page End: 27
• Publication Date: 2018-09
• Subjects: DOHaD -- Developmental origins -- Maternal effects -- Research translation -- Paternal effects -- Causal inference -- Prenatal -- Epidemiology; Social medicine -- Periodicals; Medical anthropology -- Periodicals; Public health -- Periodicals; Psychology -- Periodicals; Medicine -- Periodicals; Medicine -- Periodicals; Médecine sociale -- Périodiques; Anthropologie médicale -- Périodiques; Santé publique -- Périodiques; Psychologie -- Périodiques; Médecine -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 362.105
• DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2018.07.035
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0277-9536

Abstract

Abstract: Research on the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) has traditionally focused on how maternal exposures around the time of pregnancy might influence offspring health and risk of disease. We acknowledge that for some exposures this is likely to be correct, but argue that the focus on maternal pregnancy effects also reflects implicit and deeply-held assumptions that 1) causal early life exposures are primarily transmitted via maternal traits or exposures, 2) maternal exposures around the time of pregnancy and early infancy are particularly important, and 3) other factors, such as paternal factors and postnatal exposures in later life, have relatively little impact in comparison. These implicit assumptions about the "causal primacy" of maternal pregnancy effects set the agenda for DOHaD research and, through a looping effect, are reinforced rather than tested. We propose practical strategies to redress this imbalance through maintaining a critical perspective about these assumptions. Highlights: Many maternal pregnancy exposures are assumed to affect offspring health. Other factors like paternal and postnatal exposures are also likely to be important. Nevertheless, maternal pregnancy exposures are assumed to be most important. We need to retain a critical perspective regarding this assumption. Improving the causal evidence base and contextualising findings will help.