Workalemahu T, et al. - Given that placental DNA methylation may represent the regulatory pathway via which maternal blood pressure impacts fetal and adult health results, researchers assessed links between DNA methylation and millimetre of mercury rises in systolic and diastolic blood pressure in each trimester in this epigenome-wide association study involving 301 participants with placenta sample. Methylation of 3 CpGs (cytosine-(phosphate)-guanine), 6 CpGs, and 15 CpGs in the first, second, and third trimester, respectively, was identified in relation to elevated maternal systolic and diastolic blood pressure, at 5% false discovery rate. Experts also reported increased CpG methylation and gene expression at COL12A1 (a collagen family gene recognized for regulatory functions in the heart) in relation to raised systolic and diastolic blood pressure. This work affords the first proof for links between placental DNA methylation and elevated maternal blood pressure during pregnancy at genes involved in cardiometabolic diseases. Recognition of blood pressure-related methylated sites in the placenta may afford hints to early origins of cardiometabolic dysfunction as well as inform guidelines for early prevention.