Part two: Early stress and later reproductive performance under conditions of malnutrition and high altitude hypoxia

The phcnotype of the adult organism is dependent upon a host of factors within its developmental framework. Stress acting upon the child during development can alter the adult phenotype in such a way that various functional processes are altered. It is the aim of this paper to explore the role that early exposure to the stresses of malnutrition and high altitude hypoxia may have on the developing female, and the important and usually overlooked implications for her future reproductive performance. Evidence from animal and human studies suggests that intergenerational and developmental factors may play an important role in determining adult variation to physiological stresses such as pregnancy. Specifically, data on high altitude births in Leadville, Colorado, indicate that women exposed to the stress of high altitude hypoxia for the first time during sensitive ages of puberty may adapt more favorably to childbearing, while lifelong exposure in native women may predispose them to the increased risk of delivering low birthweight infants.