Alcohol, obesity, the lifestyle of the father also influences the fetus

May 18, 2016.

If the health of a fetus is determined by the good habits of its mother, the father seems to have just as much responsibility. His bad habits are transmitted through genes and are decisive for the functioning of the child’s cells.

Pregnant women know it well, their lifestyle must change during the 9 months of their pregnancy. Alcohol, cigarettes, like many foods, should be cut for the good health of their babies. It would seem, however, that the woman should not be the only one watching her habits. Indeed, according to a study published in theAmerican Journal of Stem Cells, the vices of the father also have a considerable impact on the fetus.

” The lifestyle and age of the father can influence the molecules that control genetic functions. A father can affect his direct descendants, but also future generations Explains Dr. Joanna Kitlinska, a specialist in biochemistry and cell and molecular biology at Georgetown University in Washington. This is called epigenetics, this science which studies changes in gene activity without involving modification of the DNA sequence.

Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is a vivid example of this mechanism. A baby can be diagnosed at birth, even though his mother never drank alcohol during her pregnancy. In 75% of cases, the father’s consumption before conception would be involved. Alcohol is also responsible for low birth weight, a reduction in brain size and cognitive function in children.

Other factors can also have serious consequences for fetal development, including the advanced age of the father, which could increase the risk of schizophrenia, autism and birth defects in his children, while paternal obesity is believed to be a factor in diabetes and brain cancer. Good habits also seem to be passed on, since it seems that a balanced diet in the father as a young teenager reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease in his offspring.

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