Abstract
The placenta plays a critical role in controlling the exchange of nutrients and metabolites between mother and fetus. While it is shared between them, it is primarily regulated by the fetal (epi)genome, suggesting that placental epigenetic marks could be important determinants of fetal growth and infant development. This study will analyse a large multi-omic dataset from a unique mother-infant cohort in rural Gambia comprising whole placental DNA methylome and genome data, and multiple outcomes including measures of fetal and infant growth, cognitive function and neural connectivity measured by functional near infrared spectroscopy.
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