This textbook aims to describe physiological and pathophysiological mechanisms that underlie human maternal-fetal interactions. The book emphasizes the structure and development of the fetoplacental unit, the endocrine and nutritional regulation of fetal development, nitric oxide signalling, solute carriers function and ion channels regulation in healthy pregnancies and diseases, like preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, and maternal obesity, among others. Also, we highlight novel mechanisms associated with language impairment in children, the use of serotonin inhibitors or cannabis during pregnancy, and maternal conditions' potential impact on cerebrovascular development in newborns and infants. The cellular and molecular understanding of maternal-fetal physiology and pathophysiology will allow the readers to understand the impact of diseases or conditions that are highly prevalent in pregnant women.

Autorentext

Marcelo González-Ortiz earned a PhD in Physiological Sciences from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile in 2009. From 2009 to 2018, he led the Vascular Physiology Lab at the Department of Physiology, and since 2018, he has been the head of the Maternal-Fetal Research Lab at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Faculty of Medicine at Universidad de Concepción in Chile. His research is focused on studying the regulation mechanisms of nitric oxide synthesis and calcium-activated potassium channels in the human placenta under both physiological and pathophysiological conditions. Currently, Dr. González-Ortiz's research projects concentrate on gestational diabetes and the effects of COVID-19 on the placenta and children.