05/20/2026
Epigenetics is reshaping how neonatal nurse practitioners (NNPs) understand the long-term impact of early life care, particularly for preterm infants. Rather than altering DNA sequences, epigenetic mechanisms regulate how genes are expressed, effectively turning them “on” or “off” in response to environmental influences. In the neonatal period, when developmental plasticity is at its peak, these influences can have lasting implications for health outcomes across the lifespan.
Epigenetics is reshaping how neonatal nurse practitioners (NNPs) understand the long-term impact of early life care, particularly for preterm infants. Rather than altering DNA sequences, epigenetic mechanisms regulate how genes are expressed, effectively turning them “on” or “off” in respons...