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Paper short abstract

Through a feminist lens, this work examines maternal-fetal epigenetic research, highlighting how studies of prenatal influences inform health outcomes yet risk reinforcing social biases, and calls for revised methodological and conceptual approaches.

Paper long abstract

The emerging field of epigenetics explains that environmental influences, such as pollution, nutrition, and trauma, can lead to alterations in gene expression. Though much of this research has surrounded environmental impacts on health, there is an increased interest in investigating epigenetic effects on fetal development, asking questions surrounding whether maternal care heavily impacts the outcome of offspring health. These studies, while impactful, are socially and politically contentious, raising questions of race, class, and gender. By framing fetal development as a direct effect of maternal health, the maternal body becomes the environment, prompting reflection on embodiment and ideas of the “good” or “bad” mother. This piece draws upon my experience as a feminist scientist working on the largest study of maternal-fetal epigenetic connections in the United States, the HEALthy Brain and Child Development Study. I draw upon a range of epigenetic studies to demonstrate how the production of scientific knowledge not only generates empirical findings but also reinforces harmful assumptions about race, class, gender, and other social categories. Ultimately, I propose feminist science as a critical framework for advancing a new paradigm, one that recognizes the insights offered by studies like HBCD while also interrogating how they may perpetuate existing flaws under the guise of traditional scientific objectivity. Maternal-fetal epigenetic research has significant potential to expand our understanding of the long-term impacts of prenatal exposures on health and disease. However, to fully harness this emerging knowledge, we must reimagine the conceptual and methodological frameworks through which we interpret and apply it.