The placental exposome: placental determinants of fetal adiposity and postnatal body composition. Ann Nutr Metab 63

cental responses to them is key to understanding the pathol-ogy of both fetal growth restriction and macrosomia. The overall effects of the maternal environment on the placenta are the product of its exposures throughout gestation, the ‘placental exposome’. Understanding these environmental influences is important as exposures early in gestation, for instance causing changes in the function of genes involved in nutrient transfer, may determine how the placenta will respond to exposures later in gestation, such as to raised ma-ternal plasma glucose or lipid concentrations. Longitudinal studies are required which allow investigation of the influ-ences on the placenta across gestation. These studies need to make full use of developing technologies characterising placental function, fetal growth and body composition. Un-derstanding these processes will assist in the development of preventive strategies and treatments to optimise prenatal growth in those pregnancies at risk of either excess or insuf-ficient nutrient supply and could also reduce the risk of chronic disease in later life. © 2013 S. Karger AG, Base