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Hormonal Influence
A delicate balance of hormones during pregnancy is thought highly relevant to foetal programming and may significantly influence offspring outcomes. Placental endocrine transfer to the developing foetus could be altered by the mental state of the mother, due to affected glucocorticoid transfer across the placenta.

Thyroid
Thyroid hormones have an essential role during early development of the foetus brain; therefore, mothers suffering from thyroid disease and the consequent altered thyroid hormone levels, may encourage structural/functional changes to the foetal brain. the foetus is able to produce its own thyroid hormones from the beginning of the second trimester, however, maternal thyroid hormones are important for brain development before and after the baby is able to synthesise the hormones in utero. The baby may experience an increased risk of neurological or psychiatric disease later in their life.

Mental State
The mental state of the mother during pregnancy is able to affect the foetus in utero, predominantly via hormones and genetics. The mother's mood including maternal prenatal anxiety, depression and stress during pregnancy correlates with altered outcomes for the child. Although, not every foetus exposed to these factors is affected in the same way to the same degree, therefore genetic and environmental factors are suspected to significantly influence.

Depression
Maternal depression is one of the greatest risks for increased vulnerability to adverse outcomes for a developing baby in the uterus, in particular susceptibility to a variety of psychological conditions. The mechanisms able to explain the connection between maternal depression and the offspring's future health are mostly unclear and a current area of active research. Genetic inheritance making the child more susceptible may play a role, including the effect on the intrauterine environment for the baby whilst the mother suffers from depression.

Stress
Stress suffered by the mother during pregnancy can have effects to the developing baby including early labour, low birth weight and induce a risk for later psychiatric complications later in life. There are also effects to the mother, such as postpartum depression and consequently, finding new parenting more difficult compared to those who did not experience so much stress during their pregnancy.

Toxins
Toxins such as alcohol, tobacco and certain drugs exposed to the baby during their development are thought to contribute to foetal programming, especially via alterations to the HPA axis. Especially if exposed to during a critical window of foetal development, this is thought to exert most consequence for the foetus.

Alcohol
Prenatal and/or early postnatal exposure to alcohol (ethanol) has been found to exert negative effects on child neuroendocrine and behavioural factors. Alcohol passes through the placenta, through ingestion by the mother during her pregnancy, and is accessed by the baby in utero. the changes posed to the foetus by ethanol exposure may significantly effect growth and development; these disorders constitute foetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). The exact interactions between ethanol and the developing foetus are complex and largely uncertain, however there are thought to be both direct and indirect effects on a developing baby as it develops. Predominant effects are thought to be the foetus' endocrine, metabolic and physiological functions.

Smoking
The negative consequences of smoking are well-known, although the consequences may be even more apparent during pregnancy. Exposure to tobacco smoke during pregnancy, commonly known as in utero maternal tobacco smoke exposure (MTSE), can contribute to the different response of babies of smoking mothers. About 20% of mothers smoke whilst pregnant and this is associated with increased risk of complications, for example preterm birth, decreased foetal growth leading to decreased birth weight, and impaired lung development of the baby whilst they develop in the womb.

Drugs
There is evidence for pharmacological programming during the first trimester: foetal programming. One such drug type suspected to influence the developing baby are anti-hypertensive drugs used during pregnancy. Pre-eclampsia (a conditional of hypertension during pregnancy), is a serious problems for proportion of pregnant mothers and can predispose the mother to a variety you complications including increased risk of mortality and problems during parturition.