Normal early pregnancy: a transient state of epigenetic change favoring hypomethylation

The objective of this study was to analyze genome-wide differential methylation patterns in maternal leukocyte DNA in early pregnant and non-pregnant states. This is an age- and body mass index-matched case-control study comparing the methylation patterns of 27,578 cytosine-guanine (CpG) sites in 14,495 genes in maternal leukocyte DNA in early pregnancy (n=14), in the same women postpartum (n=14), and in nulligravid women (n=14) on a BeadChip platform. Transient widespread hypomethylation was found in early pregnancy as compared with the non-pregnant states. Methylation of nine genes was significantly different in early pregnancy compared to both postpartum and nulligravid states (< 10% False Discovery Rate). Early pregnancy may be characterized by widespread hypomethylation compared to non-pregnant states; there is no apparent permanent methylation imprint after a normal-term gestation. Nine potential candidate genes were identified as differentially methylated in early pregnancy and may play a role in the maternal adaptation to pregnancy. This is an age- and body mass index-matched case-control study comparing the methylation patterns of 27,578 cytosine-guanine (CpG) sites in 14,495 genes in maternal leukocyte DNA in early pregnancy (n=14), in the same women postpartum (n=14), and in nulligravid women (n=14) on a BeadChip platform.