Passerine birds are known to be ecologically, agriculturally, and environmentally relevant fixtures on six of the seven world continents and yet the effects of maternal antibodies on offspring development are not well defined for these altricial-developing species [12].
We also compared maternal body mass, food consumption, birth outcome and early offspring development between rat dams exposed to 1.65G during different stages of pregnancy and nursing.
In the present study, we explored the hypothesis that changes in maternal body mass in hypergravity-exposed pregnant rat dams affect pregnancy outcome and early offspring development.
A sizable body of research has examined associations between breastfeeding and various facets of offspring development, including childhood behavioral problems.
Evidence shows that fetal exposure to glucocorticoid levels higher than appropriate for current maturation programs offspring development.
Licit and illicit use also occurs during pregnancy, however the effects from this use on offspring development are unknown.
However, mounting evidence shows that fetal exposure to glucocorticoid levels higher than appropriate for current maturation adversely programs offspring development.
Maternal severe mental illness (SMI) disrupts mother infant interaction in the immediate postpartum and is associated with less than optimal offspring development.
These results suggest that stress experienced by a laying bird has significant effects on offspring development and adult phenotype, possibly mediated by the transfer of maternal corticosterone to yolk.
We tested the hypotheses that corticosterone in avian egg yolk should correlate with corticosterone in maternal circulation at the time of laying, and that high corticosterone in yolk should then influence offspring development and adult phenotype.
Dietary inclusion of vegetable oils in pregnant females is beneficial to improve offspring development and growth during its pre- and post-natal life because these oils are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids.
