Nutrigenomics and epigenetics in pregnancy

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM), the most common metabolic condition during pregnancy, is the result of complex interactions among the genetic susceptibility, lifestyle, and clinical factors. Epigenetic alterations can occur by adverse environmental exposure in utero, thus playing a significant role in this condition and predisposing the offspring to develop metabolic disease later in life. In this narrative review, we will focus on the most recent discoveries in the field of nutrigenetics and epigenetics in GDM. We will describe the effects of nutrigenetic variants and epigenetic modifications, related to nutritional and environmental factors, as well as maternal hyperglycemia in pregnancy and fetal metabolic programming. Nutrigenetic and nutrigenomic studies can offer significant opportunities to improve the prevention of maternal metabolic disorders and the adverse health effects of future generations