BIOLOGY : MOTHERS ARE FORCED TO FIGHT A NUTRIENT WAR WITH THEIR UNBORN BABIES
BBC Science Focus|August 2023
A study on mice enabled scientists to discover that children inherit 'greedy genes' from fathers
BIOLOGY : MOTHERS ARE FORCED TO FIGHT A NUTRIENT WAR WITH THEIR UNBORN BABIES

You probably wouldn't dream of demanding more food from your mum, especially if it had to come from her own plate. But new research shows that most of us have done exactly that, and it's all thanks to our dads.

According to scientists from the University of Cambridge, foetuses use the insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2) gene, which is inherited from their fathers, to force their mothers to release more nutrients during pregnancy.

This story is from the August 2023 edition of BBC Science Focus.

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This story is from the August 2023 edition of BBC Science Focus.

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