New research from the University of Cambridge has revealed that unborn babies inherit a gene from their fathers, known as the lgf2 gene, which allows them to manipulate their mothers into releasing more nutrients during pregnancy. This gene is part of what scientists are now calling the baby’s ‘remote control system’, which determines how nutrients are shared between the baby and mother.

Why is this gene important?

According to the research, the lgf2 gene is the first evidence that a father’s gene allows an unborn child to send demanding signals to its mother. These signals are in essence ‘greedy’ and ‘selfish’, as they prompt the mother’s body to provide more nutrients to the baby for growth and development. While the mother’s body wants the baby to be healthy, she also needs these nutrients for her own health, delivery, and potentially future pregnancies.

How does it work?

The paternal genes generally support fetus growth, whereas those from the mother tend to be more limiting. This means that the father’s genes initiate a kind of ‘war’ between the mother and the baby, as they try to control the allocation of nutrients. It’s a delicate balance, as limiting nutrients to the fetus ensures that the baby isn’t too big to be delivered safely at the end of the pregnancy.

The study was conducted on pregnant mice, where the researchers altered the signaling cells in the placenta, an organ that develops alongside the fetus and serves as the gateway for nutrients. By deleting the lgf2 gene in the placenta, the scientists found that the fetus did not grow properly due to insufficient protein production in the mother.

Implications for future research

This study sheds light on why babies with a defect in the lgf2 gene are often overgrown or have stunted growth. The researchers hope that these findings will help develop new ways to target the placenta and improve the health of both mothers and babies in the future.

In conclusion, unborn babies inherit a ‘greedy gene’ from their fathers, which allows them to manipulate their mothers into releasing more nutrients during pregnancy. This gene is part of the baby’s ‘remote control system’ and plays a crucial role in fetal growth and development. Understanding how this gene works may lead to improvements in maternal and fetal health in the future.