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Perinatal Programming

Meaning

Perinatal Programming is an established and critical concept in developmental biology and endocrinology, which asserts that specific environmental and nutritional cues experienced during the sensitive period around birth—spanning from late gestation through early infancy—can permanently alter the structure and function of various organ systems. This profound phenomenon sets the lifelong physiological trajectory for an individual’s metabolic, cardiovascular, and endocrine health, significantly influencing their adult susceptibility to chronic, non-communicable diseases.