eLife assessment
This is an important manuscript that will be of interest to a broad range of researchers studying immunology, obesity and metabolism, as well as the links between maternal health and pathophysiological responses in the offspring. The comprehensive studies using RNA-seq, scRNA-seq, ATAC-seq and scATAC-seq in human umbilical cord monocytes represent an important resource for understanding the transcriptomic and epigenetic shifts in the monocytes of newborns. The experiments involving stimulation of monocytes with pathogens offer convincing evidence for the dysfunction of monocytes in the newborn.