Prenatal programming of mammalian growth—a review of the role of steroids

The steroid milieu of differentiating mammals influences aspects of growth and development. Changes to the steroid milieu of a differentiating mammal results in physiological changes to that animal. These changes can be permanent and identified as phenomena measured in later life. During prenatal development, steroids programme the timing of critical events such as birth, puberty and death. They also influence body shape and composition, growth rates, physiology, placental morphology, behaviour and sexual differentiation. Prenatal steroids programme livestock and their manipulation can result in enhanced growth characters in domestic livestock.