Risk of disease partially set in womb, scientists say
Wednesday, November 23, 2011 - 16:00
in Health & Medicine
Pregnant women sacrifice many of life's simple pleasures - caffeine, sushi, a glass of wine - in the hope that their baby will be born healthy. But according to a provocative new field of research, what happens during pregnancy can have lasting consequences that emerge decades after the child leaves the hospital. Studies are finding that adult illnesses like heart disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes can have roots in the mysterious months we spend in the womb.