Fetal origins of adult disease: transforming prenatal care by integrating Barker’s Hypothesis with AI-driven 4D ultrasound

INTRODUCTION: The fetal origins of adult disease, widely known as Barker's Hypothesis, suggest that adverse fetal environments significantly impact the risk of developing chronic diseases, such as diabetes and cardiovascular conditions, in adulthood. Recent advancements in 4D ultrasound (4D US) and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies offer a promising avenue for improving prenatal diagnostics and validating this hypothesis. These innovations provide detailed insights into fetal behavior and neurodevelopment, linking early developmental markers to long-term health outcomes. CONTENT: This study synthesizes contemporary developments in AI-enhanced 4D US, focusing on their roles in detecting fetal anomalies,…