Research summary
Pregnant women at risk of delivering prematurely are often treated with glucocorticoids to help the fetal lungs mature. But the effects of these interventions on brain and neuroendocrine development in the fetus are poorly understood.
As Canada Research Chair in Early Development and Health, Dr. Stephen Matthews will shed light on the effects of preconception and pregnancy interventions to improve the health of pregnant women and their babies. He and his research team are studying the impact of the environment on brain development. They are exploring how stress and glucocorticoids may influence the developing brain and change how babies respond to stress. They are also studying the transport mechanisms that protect the developing brain.