Fetal Programming Case Study

Based on fetal programming, epigenetics, and the studies completed on rats, I do not think the parent’s past drug abuse, crime, and violence will ascertain that the child will repeat these action, however, I think the environment and parenting will determine the probability. The term fetal programming is the first term that comes to mind to determine whether or not the baby will repeat their parent’s history. Fetal programming is the process of the embryo/fetus adjusting while in the womb to environmental factors to survive. This is relevant to this case because it means that the embryo/fetus will protect itself while in utero from all of these negative outside factors, such as the drug abuse, crime, and violence. Therefore, these outside

factors will not influence them and if so, it will only be minor. However, if the embryo/fetus does inherit these genes from their parents, epigenetics will determine of whether or not these genes will be expressed. After the baby is born, the environment outside of the womb will determine their behavior and path. Furthermore, “an epigenetic change that was triggered by environmental conditions may be reversed when environmental conditions change again,” which entails if the environment the infant grows up in is one with low stress, epigenetics will “turn off” these gene expressions through DNA methylation. (Learn genetics) This can be supported by recent animal studies that were completed by US researcher Michael Meaney. The animal studies demonstrated that as long as there is an attentive/stable environment, the child should have low stress, even if the parent is not their parent. (White)