Maternal effect

Maternal effect is when a baby animal or human has traits that are influenced by its mother's genetics or environment. Just like how a seed needs good soil and water to grow into a healthy plant, a baby needs a healthy environment in the womb to grow into a healthy baby. The mother's genes and environment can affect things like the baby's size, shape, behavior, and even intelligence. Sometimes, the traits are passed down from the mother's genes - for example, if the mother is naturally tall, her baby might also be tall. Other times, the traits are influenced by the mother's behavior during pregnancy - if the mother smokes, her baby might be born with smaller lungs. So, in short, maternal effect means that a mother's genetic and environmental factors can shape the development and traits of her offspring.