| Summary: | Substantial data demonstrate that the early-life environment, includingin utero, plays a key rolein later life disease. In particular, maternal stress during pregnancy has been linked to adversebehavioural and emotional outcomes in children. Data from human cohort studies and experi-mental animal models suggest that modulation of the developing epigenome in the foetus bymaternal stress may contribute to the foetal programming of disease. Here, we summariseinsights gained from recent studies that may advance our understanding of the role of the pla-centa in mediating the association between maternal mood disorders and offspring outcomes.First, the placenta provides a record of exposures during pregnancy, as indicated by changes inthe placental trancriptome and epigenome. Second, prenatal maternal mood may alter placentalfunction to adversely impact foetal and child development. Finally, we discuss the less wellestablished but interesting possibility that altered placental function, more specifically changesin placental hormones, may adversely affect maternal mood and later maternal behaviour, whichcan also have consequence for offspring well-being.
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