International journal of gynaecology and obstetrics: the official organ of the International Federation of Gynaecology and ObstetricsAug 27, 2026

How Early Life Before and Around Birth May Shape Aging Later in Life

Longevity & Aging Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗OA ↗

Abstract

Intrauterine exposures may influence adult health outcomes across multiple biological dimensions.

The timing of gestational exposure, rather than just birth weight, could determine programming outcomes, as suggested by evidence from the Dutch Hunger Winter.
Famine-exposed individuals have shown signs of accelerated biological aging at midlife according to modern epigenetic studies.
Preterm birth and fetal growth restriction (FGR) are linked to reduced nephron endowment and increased risks of metabolic dysfunction.
Observational data indicate a 30%-50% increase in all-cause mortality risk in early-to-mid adulthood for individuals born preterm or with FGR.
Maternal health factors, such as advanced biological age and gestational diabetes, may increase the risk of adverse outcomes in offspring.
Emerging evidence points to placental aging and disruptions in maternal gut bacteria as potential mediators of long-term health issues.

Simplified

The perinatal period is increasingly recognized as an important determinant of biological aging trajectories and disease susceptibility across the lifespan. This narrative review synthesizes current evidence linking intrauterine exposures to adult health outcomes across three biological dimensions: fetal programming, maternal influences, and placental mediation. Evidence from the Dutch Hunger Winter suggests that the timing of gestational exposure-not birth weight alone-might govern programming outcomes. Modern epigenetic clock studies have since reported accelerated biological aging at midlife in famine-exposed individuals. Preterm birth and fetal growth restriction (FGR) are independently associated with reduced nephron endowment, impaired cardiac and pulmonary development, and metabolic dysfunction, and with a 30%-50% increase in all-cause mortality risk in early-to-mid adulthood in observational cohorts. Maternal factors, including advanced biological age, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, and nutritional deficiencies, further shape the intrauterine milieu and are associated with increased offspring risk across multiple organ systems, although residual confounding by shared genetic and postnatal factors cannot be excluded. Emerging evidence implicates placental senescence and maternal microbiome dysbiosis as additional candidate mediators linking perinatal adversity to long-term health trajectories. These findings support a role for lifetime risk stratification for individuals born preterm or with FGR, structured postpartum surveillance for women with pregnancy complications, and primary prevention strategies targeting the intrauterine environment, alongside continued efforts to strengthen the underlying evidence base. Reframing the perinatal period as a potential determinant of the pace of biological aging, and not merely a risk window for specific diseases, identifies it as a priority domain for longevity-focused obstetric research.

Full Text

Full text is available at the source.

View Full Text ↗

Featured in

Longevity & AgingIssue #52

Deleting a DNA-sensing protein accelerates aging in mice — the opposite of what scientists expected

↗

How Early Life Before and Around Birth May Shape Aging Later in Life

Abstract

Full Text

Featured in

You found one interesting study. We’ll send the next 7.

What Lands in Your Inbox Each Week:

Recent issues from the longevity & aging brief