Pre-conception is an important period for pregnancy planning. People who is healthy at the time of conception is more likely to have a successful pregnancy and a healthy child. Healthy pre-conception nutrition and lifestyle is associated with enhanced pregnancy chance. However, studies suggest, in the pre-conception period, maternal and paternal exposures to environmental hazards such as endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), are considered as potential risk factors for adverse pregnancy outcomes. EDCs not only disrupt hormonal homeostasis at low doses but also exert enduring epigenetic modifications in male and female gametes, increase the risk of infertility, abortion, preterm birth and pregnancy complications. In addition, emerging environmental risk factors, including contaminants (e.g., air pollution, antibiotics, microplastics, flame retardants and biological contamination such as COVID-19), modern society lifestyles (e.g., social jetlag, light at night, specific nutrients intake), and psychological stress or disorders (e.g., negative events, anxiety, depression) are associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. For instance, research showed that the exposure to atmospheric particulate matter (PM) relates to the incidence of Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Air pollutants can pass through reactive oxygen species and cause endoplasmic reticulum stress, and induce the serine phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate 1 (Insulin-Receptor Substrate 1, IRS1). Pre-conception period is a critical window for pregnancy. Exposed to polluted air during pre-conception period may in turn lead to insulin resistance and gestational diabetes. Therefore, there is an urgent need to understand the impact of these emerging risk factors on endocrinal disruption and reproductive health on both maternal and paternal sides during pre-conception period.
This Research Topic aims to provide insights to the emerging environmental, life-style and psychological factors on immediate or long-term reproductive outcomes for both parents and offspring. We hope to identify the emerging environmental exposure factors, and provide practical advice on limiting exposure, which in turn could improve parental and child health at pre-conception period and reduce the growing burden of non-communicable diseases.
We welcome submissions of the following subtopics, but not limited to:
1) Prospective cohort studies of pre-conception period, and the impact of exposure factors on male and female reproductive health (time to pregnancy, infertility, abortion and other adverse pregnancy outcomes);
2) Studies of the associations between pre-conception exposure on emerging exposure factors and pregnancy complications (i.e., pregnancy-induced hypertension, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes and thyroid disease);
3) Genetic predisposition, phenotype, lifestyle, and environmental factors and their potential synergistic and antagonistic health effects on a couple before pregnancy;
4) The joint/interactive health effects of air pollutants and other environmental exposures and their impact on pregnancy outcomes;
5) New concepts in the pathogenesis and regulatory mechanism of pregnancy-related metabolic disorders in pre-conception period;
6) Impact of the emerging environmental exposure factors on reproductive damage, including its consequential effect to embryo development and offspring health;
7) Prevention and medication of reproductive damage with target to the emerging risk factors.
Pre-conception is an important period for pregnancy planning. People who is healthy at the time of conception is more likely to have a successful pregnancy and a healthy child. Healthy pre-conception nutrition and lifestyle is associated with enhanced pregnancy chance. However, studies suggest, in the pre-conception period, maternal and paternal exposures to environmental hazards such as endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), are considered as potential risk factors for adverse pregnancy outcomes. EDCs not only disrupt hormonal homeostasis at low doses but also exert enduring epigenetic modifications in male and female gametes, increase the risk of infertility, abortion, preterm birth and pregnancy complications. In addition, emerging environmental risk factors, including contaminants (e.g., air pollution, antibiotics, microplastics, flame retardants and biological contamination such as COVID-19), modern society lifestyles (e.g., social jetlag, light at night, specific nutrients intake), and psychological stress or disorders (e.g., negative events, anxiety, depression) are associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. For instance, research showed that the exposure to atmospheric particulate matter (PM) relates to the incidence of Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Air pollutants can pass through reactive oxygen species and cause endoplasmic reticulum stress, and induce the serine phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate 1 (Insulin-Receptor Substrate 1, IRS1). Pre-conception period is a critical window for pregnancy. Exposed to polluted air during pre-conception period may in turn lead to insulin resistance and gestational diabetes. Therefore, there is an urgent need to understand the impact of these emerging risk factors on endocrinal disruption and reproductive health on both maternal and paternal sides during pre-conception period.
This Research Topic aims to provide insights to the emerging environmental, life-style and psychological factors on immediate or long-term reproductive outcomes for both parents and offspring. We hope to identify the emerging environmental exposure factors, and provide practical advice on limiting exposure, which in turn could improve parental and child health at pre-conception period and reduce the growing burden of non-communicable diseases.
We welcome submissions of the following subtopics, but not limited to:
1) Prospective cohort studies of pre-conception period, and the impact of exposure factors on male and female reproductive health (time to pregnancy, infertility, abortion and other adverse pregnancy outcomes);
2) Studies of the associations between pre-conception exposure on emerging exposure factors and pregnancy complications (i.e., pregnancy-induced hypertension, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes and thyroid disease);
3) Genetic predisposition, phenotype, lifestyle, and environmental factors and their potential synergistic and antagonistic health effects on a couple before pregnancy;
4) The joint/interactive health effects of air pollutants and other environmental exposures and their impact on pregnancy outcomes;
5) New concepts in the pathogenesis and regulatory mechanism of pregnancy-related metabolic disorders in pre-conception period;
6) Impact of the emerging environmental exposure factors on reproductive damage, including its consequential effect to embryo development and offspring health;
7) Prevention and medication of reproductive damage with target to the emerging risk factors.
