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1. A mathematical model of maternal vascular growth and remodeling and changes in maternal hemodynamics in uncomplicated pregnancy

   https://doi.org/10.1007/s10237-021-01555-0  

   Gleason, Rudolph L.; Sedaghati, Farbod (April 2022, Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology)
2. Maternal size and body condition predict the amount of post‐fertilization maternal provisioning in matrotrophic fish

   https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.4542  

   Hagmayer, Andres; Furness, Andrew_I; Reznick, David_N; Pollux, Bart_J_A (December 2018, Ecology and Evolution)

   Abstract Maternal effects often provide a mechanism for adaptive transgenerational phenotypic plasticity. The maternal phenotype can profoundly influence the potential for such environmentally induced adjustments of the offspring phenotype, causing correlations between offspring and maternal traits. Here, we study potential effects of the maternal phenotype on offspring provisioning prior to and during gestation in the matrotrophic live‐bearing fish speciesPoeciliopsis retropinna. Specifically, we examine how maternal traits such as body fat, lean mass, and length relate to pre‐ (i.e., allocation to the egg prior to fertilization) and post‐fertilization (i.e., allocation to the embryo during pregnancy) maternal provisioning and how this ultimately affects offspring size and body composition at birth. We show that pre‐ and post‐fertilization maternal provisioning is associated with maternal length and body fat, but not with maternal lean mass. Maternal length is proportionally associated with egg mass at fertilization and offspring mass at birth, notably without changing the ratio of pre‐ to post‐fertilization maternal provisioning. This ratio, referred to as the matrotrophy index (MI), is often used to quantify the level of matrotrophy. By contrast, the proportion of maternal body fat is positively associated with post‐fertilization, but not pre‐fertilization, maternal provisioning and consequently is strongly positively correlated with the MI. We furthermore found that the composition of embryos changes throughout pregnancy. Females invest first in embryo lean mass, and then allocate fat reserves to embryos very late in pregnancy. We argue that this delay in fat allocation may be adaptive, because it delays an unnecessary high reproductive burden to the mother during earlier stages of pregnancy, potentially leading to a more slender body shape and improved locomotor performance. In conclusion, our study suggests that (a) offspring size at birth is a plastic trait that is predicted by both maternal length and body fat, and (b) the MI is a plastic trait that is predicted solely by the proportion of maternal body fat. It herewith provides new insights into the potential maternal causes and consequences of embryo provisioning during pregnancy in matrotrophic live‐bearing species. 

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3. Maternal age at birth and daughter’s fecundability

   https://doi.org/10.1093/humrep/deab057  

   Basso, Olga; Willis, Sydney K; Hatch, Elizabeth E; Mikkelsen, Ellen M; Rothman, Kenneth J; Wise, Lauren A (April 2021, Human Reproduction)

   Abstract STUDY QUESTION Do daughters of older mothers have lower fecundability? SUMMARY ANSWER In this cohort study of North American pregnancy planners, there was virtually no association between maternal age ≥35 years and daughters’ fecundability. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Despite suggestive evidence that daughters of older mothers may have lower fertility, only three retrospective studies have examined the association between maternal age and daughter’s fecundability. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION Prospective cohort study of 6689 pregnancy planners enrolled between March 2016 and January 2020. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Pregnancy Study Online (PRESTO) is an ongoing pre-conception cohort study of pregnancy planners (age, 21-45 years) from the USA and Canada. We estimated fecundability ratios (FR) for maternal age at the participant’s birth using multivariable proportional probabilities regression models. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE Daughters of mothers ≥30 years were less likely to have previous pregnancies (or pregnancy attempts) or risk factors for infertility, although they were more likely to report that their mother had experienced problems conceiving. The proportion of participants with prior unplanned pregnancies, a birth before age 21, ≥3 cycles of attempt at study entry or no follow-up was greater among daughters of mothers <25 years. Compared with maternal age 25–29 years, FRs (95% CI) for maternal age <20, 20–24, 30–34, and ≥35 were 0.72 (0.61, 0.84), 0.92 (0.85, 1.00), 1.08 (1.00, 1.17), and 1.00 (0.89, 1.12), respectively. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION Although the examined covariates did not meaningfully affect the associations, we had limited information on the participants’ mother. Differences by maternal age in reproductive history, infertility risk factors and loss to follow-up suggest that selection bias may partly explain our results. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS Our finding that maternal age 35 years or older was not associated with daughter’s fecundability is reassuring, considering the trend towards delayed childbirth. However, having been born to a young mother may be a marker of low fecundability among pregnancy planners. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) PRESTO was funded by NICHD Grants (R21-HD072326 and R01-HD086742) and has received in-kind donations from Swiss Precision Diagnostics, FertilityFriend.com, Kindara.com, and Sandstone Diagnostics. Dr Wise is a fibroid consultant for AbbVie, Inc. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER n/a 

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4. An acute dose of intranasal oxytocin rapidly increases maternal communication and maintains maternal care in primiparous postpartum California mice

   https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0244033  

   Guoynes, Caleigh D.; Marler, Catherine A. (April 2021, PLOS ONE)

   Rosenfeld, Cheryl S. (Ed.)

   Maternal-offspring communication and care are essential for offspring survival. Oxytocin (OXT) is known for its role in initiation of maternal care, but whether OXT can rapidly influence maternal behavior or ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs; above 50 kHz) has not been examined. To test for rapid effects of OXT, California mouse mothers were administered an acute intranasal (IN) dose of OXT (0.8 IU/kg) or saline followed by a separation test with three phases: habituation with pups in a new testing chamber, separation via a wire mesh, and finally reunion with pups. We measured maternal care, maternal USVs, and pup USVs. In mothers, we primarily observed simple sweep USVs, a short downward sweeping call around 50 kHz, and in pups we only observed pup whines, a long call with multiple harmonics ranging from 20 kHz to 50 kHz. We found that IN OXT rapidly and selectively enhanced the normal increase in maternal simple sweep USVs when mothers had physical access to pups (habituation and reunion), but not when mothers were physically separated from pups. Frequency of mothers’ and pups’ USVs were correlated upon reunion, but IN OXT did not influence this correlation. Finally, mothers given IN OXT showed more efficient pup retrieval/carrying and greater total maternal care upon reunion. Behavioral changes were specific to maternal behaviors (e.g. retrievals) as mothers given IN OXT did not differ from controls in stress-related behaviors (e.g. freezing). Overall, these findings highlight the rapid effects and context-dependent effect a single treatment with IN OXT has on both maternal USV production and offspring care. 

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5. Microglia depletion facilitates the display of maternal behavior and alters activation of the maternal brain network in nulliparous female rats

   https://doi.org/10.1038/s41386-023-01624-1  

   Dye, Courtney N; Franceschelli, Dominic; Leuner, Benedetta; Lenz, Kathryn M (December 2023, Neuropsychopharmacology)