Maternal Sleep Quality and Early-Life Epigenetic Programming of Bone-Related Genes in Neonatal Cord Blood: Findings From the Persian Birth Cohort, Isfahan

Maternal Sleep Quality and Early-Life Epigenetic Programming of Bone-Related Genes in Neonatal Cord Blood: Findings From the Persian Birth Cohort, Isfahan Publisher Pubmed

Summary: Might maternal sleep shape newborn gene regulation? A cohort linked poor early-pregnancy sleep to greater OPG DNA methylation in cord blood, without proving causation. #Epigenetics #MaternalHealth

Baradaran Mahdavi S ; Niazmand A ; Javadirad S M ; Daniali S S ; Mozafarian N ; Roudashti S ; Heidari Beni M ; Rafieian M ; Bemanalizadeh M ; Poursafa P ; Azimian Zavareh V ; Feizi A ; Salehi R ; Kelishadi R

Source: Calcified tissue international Published:2026

Abstract

In this cohort, we explored the DNA methylation changes of 3 genes of the canonical Wnt/β-catenin and RANKL/OPG pathways related to bone homeostasis in cord blood at birth. Those mothers with poor sleep quality in the first trimester of pregnancy had 5.9 times higher odds of complete OPG methylation compared to those with good sleep (adjusted OR = 5.9; 95% CI 1.04-33.0; p = 0.045). Maternal lifestyle factors during pregnancy can influence fetal development through epigenetic mechanisms, potentially affecting neonatal skeletal programming and long-term bone health. Sleep quality is an important, modifiable maternal factor, but its role in shaping epigenetic regulation of bone development remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the association between maternal sleep quality during pregnancy and DNA methylation of key genes of the canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, Wnt Family Member 10B (WNT10B), β-catenin (CTNNB1), and osteoprotegerin (OPG or TNFRSF11B) in the offspring's cord blood samples at birth. A total of 300 pregnant women were recruited as a sub-study of the PERSIAN Birth Cohort-Isfahan. Maternal sleep patterns were assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Methylation at cytosine-guanine (CpG) dinucleotide sites within the promoters of WNT10B, β-catenin, and OPG was quantified in offspring's cord blood at birth, and associations with maternal sleep quality across all trimesters were assessed. Poor sleep quality in the first trimester was significantly associated with increased OPG methylation (adjusted OR = 1.40, 95% CI 1.05-1.8, p = 0.023). Mothers with poor sleep quality (PSQI ≥ 5) in the first trimester had 5.9 times higher odds of complete OPG methylation compared to those with good sleep quality (adjusted OR = 5.9, 95% CI 1.04-33.0, p = 0.045). However, associations with WNT10B and β-catenin were not statistically significant. Maternal sleep quality during early gestation may influence the DNA methylation and epigenetic programming of bone-related genes in neonatal cord blood, emphasizing the importance of maternal lifestyle as a modifiable factor shaping early-life bone health. © 2026. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.

Style	Citing Format
MLA	Baradaran Mahdavi S, et al.. "Maternal Sleep Quality and Early-Life Epigenetic Programming of Bone-Related Genes in Neonatal Cord Blood: Findings From the Persian Birth Cohort, Isfahan." Calcified tissue international, vol. 117, no. 1, 2026, pp. -.
APA	Baradaran Mahdavi S, Niazmand A, Javadirad S M, Daniali S S, Mozafarian N, Roudashti S, Heidari Beni M, Rafieian M, Bemanalizadeh M, Poursafa P, Azimian Zavareh V, Feizi A, Salehi R, Kelishadi R (2026). Maternal Sleep Quality and Early-Life Epigenetic Programming of Bone-Related Genes in Neonatal Cord Blood: Findings From the Persian Birth Cohort, Isfahan. Calcified tissue international, 117(1), -.
Chicago	Baradaran Mahdavi S, Niazmand A, Javadirad S M, Daniali S S, Mozafarian N, Roudashti S, Heidari Beni M, et al.. "Maternal Sleep Quality and Early-Life Epigenetic Programming of Bone-Related Genes in Neonatal Cord Blood: Findings From the Persian Birth Cohort, Isfahan." Calcified tissue international 117, no. 1 (2026): -.
Harvard	Baradaran Mahdavi S et al. (2026) 'Maternal Sleep Quality and Early-Life Epigenetic Programming of Bone-Related Genes in Neonatal Cord Blood: Findings From the Persian Birth Cohort, Isfahan', Calcified tissue international, 117(1), pp. -.
Vancouver	Baradaran Mahdavi S, Niazmand A, Javadirad S M, Daniali S S, Mozafarian N, Roudashti S, et al.. Maternal Sleep Quality and Early-Life Epigenetic Programming of Bone-Related Genes in Neonatal Cord Blood: Findings From the Persian Birth Cohort, Isfahan. Calcified tissue international. 2026;117(1):-.
BibTex	@article{ author = {Baradaran Mahdavi S and Niazmand A and Javadirad S M and Daniali S S and Mozafarian N and Roudashti S and Heidari Beni M and Rafieian M and Bemanalizadeh M and Poursafa P and Azimian Zavareh V and Feizi A and Salehi R and Kelishadi R}, title = {Maternal Sleep Quality and Early-Life Epigenetic Programming of Bone-Related Genes in Neonatal Cord Blood: Findings From the Persian Birth Cohort, Isfahan}, journal = {Calcified tissue international}, volume = {117}, number = {1}, pages = {-}, year = {2026} }
RIS	TY - JOUR AU - Baradaran Mahdavi S AU - Niazmand A AU - Javadirad S M AU - Daniali S S AU - Mozafarian N AU - Roudashti S AU - Heidari Beni M AU - Rafieian M AU - Bemanalizadeh M AU - Poursafa P AU - Azimian Zavareh V AU - Feizi A AU - Salehi R AU - Kelishadi R TI - Maternal Sleep Quality and Early-Life Epigenetic Programming of Bone-Related Genes in Neonatal Cord Blood: Findings From the Persian Birth Cohort, Isfahan JO - Calcified tissue international VL - 117 IS - 1 SP - EP - PY - 2026 ER -

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