The "Bad Father": Paternal Role in Biology of Pregnancy and in Birth Outcome

Overview

Journal Biology (Basel)

Publisher MDPI

Specialty Biology

Date 2024 Mar 27

PMID 38534435

Authors

Stefano Raffaele Giannubilo

Daniela Marzioni

Giovanni Tossetta

Ramona Montironi

Maria Liberata Meccariello

Andrea Ciavattini

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Pregnancy is generally studied as a biological interaction between a mother and a fetus; however, the father, with his characteristics, lifestyle, genetics, and living environment, is by no means unrelated to the outcome of pregnancy. The half of the fetal genetic heritage of paternal derivation can be decisive in cases of inherited chromosomal disorders, and can be the result of de novo genetic alterations. In addition to the strictly pathological aspects, paternal genetics may transmit thrombophilic traits that affect the implantation and vascular construction of the feto-placental unit, lead to placenta-mediated diseases such as pre-eclampsia and fetal growth retardation, and contribute to the multifactorial genesis of preterm delivery. Biological aspects of immunological tolerance to paternal antigens also appear to be crucial for these pathologies. Finally, this review describes the biological findings by which the environment, exposure to pathogens, lifestyle, and nutritional style of the father affect fetal pathophysiological and epigenetic definition.

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