The major function of the placenta is to transfer nutrients and oxygen from the mother to the
foetus and to assist in the removal of waste products from the foetus to the mother. In addition…

The human microbiome includes trillions of bacteria, many of which play a vital role in host
physiology. Numerous studies have now detected bacterial DNA in first-pass meconium and …

Objectives: This study of the changes in cytokine concentrations in gestational tissues from
women with term and preterm labor was undertaken to assess the extent of inflammatory …

Placental ATP binding cassette (ABC) transporters protect placental and fetal tissues by
effluxing xenobiotics and endogenous metabolites. We have investigated the effects of cytokines …

ATP-binding cassette (ABC) efflux transporters are expressed in the human placenta where
they are thought to help protect the fetus from xenobiotics. To evaluate models for analysis of …

Numerous studies suggest that infants delivered by cesarean section are at a greater risk of
non-communicable diseases than their vaginal counterparts. In particular, epidemiological …

Prenatal testosterone may have a powerful masculinizing effect on postnatal physical
characteristics. However, no study has directly tested this hypothesis. Here, we report a 20-year …

It has long been assumed that establishment of the fetal microbiome commences with the
birthing process. However, recent studies have found bacterial DNA in umbilical cord blood, …

After several decades of research, we now have evidence that at least six interventions are
suitable for immediate use in contemporary clinical practice within high-resource settings and …

The central role of inflammatory processes in labour and delivery is now well-recognised.
However, the biomolecular, immunological and endocrine mechanisms involved in the labour …