Animal Pregnancy and Neonatal Health: Microbiome, Metabolism, and Maternal–Fetal Interactions
A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Reproduction".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 12
Special Issue Editors
Interests: reproduction; microbiome; maternal–fetal interface
Interests: comparative pregnancy physiology; preeclampsia and fetal growth restriction; equine placentitis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Pregnancy and the neonatal period represent critical windows the future health, productivity, and survival of animals. In veterinary medicine, increasing evidence underscores the importance of maternal–fetal interactions, particularly the roles of the microbiome and metabolic regulation, in influencing reproductive success and early-life development. These complex interactions are vital not only for neonatal growth and immune maturation but also in preventing perinatal complications and promoting long-term animal welfare.
This Special Issue will advance our understanding of the physiological, microbial, and immunometabolic processes involved in veterinary pregnancy and neonatal health. By exploring the dynamic relationships between maternal and neonatal microbiomes, metabolic adaptations, and environmental influences, we aim to uncover insights to guide improved strategies for animal care and reproductive management.
We welcome original research articles, reviews, and case studies on topics including, but not limited to, the following:
- Maternal and neonatal microbiomes and their developmental impact;
- Metabolic changes during gestation, birth, and the neonatal period;
- Immune interactions at the maternal–fetal interface;
- Influence of nutrition and environmental factors on pregnancy outcomes;
- Microbial and metabolic biomarkers of reproductive and neonatal health;
- Effects of antibiotics, probiotics, and prebiotics on maternal and neonatal physiology;
- Comparative studies across domestic, livestock, or wildlife species;
- Innovative diagnostics or interventions to support neonatal viability.
Dr. Kalie Beckers
Dr. Jenny L. Sones
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- maternal microbiome
- neonatal health
- maternal–fetal interface
- veterinary pregnancy
- reproductive physiology
- fetal programming
- microbiome–metabolism interactions
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