Genetics of the placenta

We know that pregnancy comes with risks. One risk is giving birth before the fetus is ready. Or babies that are small for their age. Or bleeding during pregnancy. These are some of the big problems. And we do not always know why they happen. For instance, mom’s diet could affect the size of the baby. But so could high blood pressure. Or diabetes. Or if the mom drinks alcohol or smokes when pregnant. Having twins or triplets. Infections. Genetics. And more. The placenta is a temporary organ. It forms during pregnancy. It is flat and attaches to the wall of the uterus. It provides oxygen and nutrients to the fetus through the umbilical cord. And removes waste products from the fetus. Once you give birth, you no longer need your placenta. So, you deliver that too. The placenta may give us clues or answers to some common pregnancy problems. Doctors found a link between information in placentas and some pregnancy problems. The information may also predict future disease in the baby. Scientists at Vanderbilt University Medical center will use BioVU to go one step further. They think there is a link between gene changes and the information in the cells of the placenta. They will look for women who had problems with their pregnancy. They want to find women who had their placenta checked. Then they will use BioVU to check for gene changes. Their goal is to find gene changes linked to pregnancy problems. Or diseases that the baby might get. Their results may help us better predict who is at risk for pregnancy problems. They may also help us stop or treat those problems. We want to help women have healthy babies.