Nutriepigenomics in perinatal medicine: maternal nutrition as a modulator of fetal gene expression and long-term health.

Introduction: Maternal nutrition during pregnancy can influence fetal development through epigenetic modifications, affecting gene expression without altering DNA sequence. Nutriepigenomics - the study of nutrient-driven epigenetic regulation - provides critical insights into how prenatal nutritional exposures can shape immediate and lifelong health outcomes.

Content: This narrative review synthesizes evidence from human cohort studies and experimental animal models on how macro- and micronutrients, including folate, vitamin B12, choline, vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, and bioactive compounds such as polyphenols and resveratrol, modify key epigenetic processes. These include DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNA regulation, particularly within the placenta and developing fetal tissues.

Summary: Maternal diet-induced epigenetic changes influence fetal metabolic programming, neurodevelopment, immune maturation, and organogenesis, with impacts detectable at birth and persisting into adulthood. Evidence indicates associations with altered birthweight trajectories, increased risk of childhood obesity and immune dysregulation, and potential elevation in lifelong cardiometabolic and neuropsychiatric disease risk.

Outlook: Integrating nutriepigenomic insights into perinatal care offers opportunities for early preventive strategies and personalized nutrition interventions. Translational application of epigenetic biomarkers, coupled with population-level nutritional policies, could reduce disease risk across generations and improve long-term population health outcomes.