Articles tagged with Pregnancy
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Research reveals a single missing gene in mothers leads to miscarriages due to placenta problems, including fewer blood vessels and altered shape. The study provides new insights into recurrent miscarriage in humans and lays the foundation for further research on placenta development.
A study of breast cancer survivors found that natural pregnancies are possible after chemotherapy, but many no longer wish to have children. The study also showed that fertility preservation measures are not widely needed among young breast cancer patients.
A new study found that antiepileptic drug clearance significantly changes by the first trimester for one commonly used medication and by the second trimester for two others. The findings have implications for adjusting medication doses during pregnancy to keep women with epilepsy seizure-free and safe.
Elective induction of labor in uncomplicated singleton pregnancies from 39 weeks' gestation is associated with lower complication rates. Women should be aware that induction can lead to a more prolonged and painful process.
Research from mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan reveals a significant preference for cesarean delivery among women, with rates exceeding 30% in these regions. The primary reasons cited are the fear of pain during labor, antagonistic relationships with healthcare providers, and concerns over deteriorating quality of care during birth.
Young women previously treated for cancer with cardiotoxic treatments are more likely to develop clinical congestive heart failure (CHF) during and after pregnancy. According to the study, there's approximately a 1 in 3 chance of developing CHF for women who have been exposed to cardiotoxic treatments and had prior cardiotoxicity.
Researchers studied 3.6 million pregnancies and found beta-blockers not associated with a large increase in cardiac or general birth defects. The risk estimates were generally consistent across Nordic and US data.
A first-of-its-kind study found that a fertility app called Dot is as effective as other modern methods for avoiding unplanned pregnancies. The app provided women with information about their fertility status each day of their menstrual cycle, resulting in a typical-use failure rate of 3.5%.
Researchers at University of Connecticut have discovered a potential treatment for premature birth by targeting the immune system. Studies in mice suggest that inhibiting granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) could prevent preterm labor and birth.
A new study by the University of Texas at Austin found that proposed Title X guidelines restricting abortion counseling and referrals may adversely impact pregnant women's health care. The study, published in Contraception, compares pregnancy options counseling and referral practices at state-funded and federal organizations.
The global cesarean section rate has increased from 12% in 2000 to 21% in 2015, with significant disparities in use between regions and socioeconomic groups. The authors call for improved quality childbirth care globally and emphasize the need for C-sections only to be performed when medically required.
A recent study published in Environmental Health Perspectives found that drinking water fluoride levels significantly impact pregnant women's urine. Researchers discovered that Canadian cities with fluoridated public drinking water have higher urinary fluoride levels compared to non-fluoridated areas.
A study published in Pediatric Research found that babies born to overweight mothers are more likely to develop regulatory problems, including excessive crying and feeding difficulties. The research suggests that prenatal factors, such as maternal weight during early pregnancy, may contribute to these issues.
A multicenter study involving over 2,400 first-time pregnant women found that delaying pushing during labor increases the risk of severe postpartum bleeding, infections, and sepsis. In contrast, immediate pushing is associated with lower rates of infection and excessive bleeding.
A recent NIH-funded study calls into question common practice of delaying pushing during the second stage of labor. Women who pushed immediately had a shorter average duration of labor and lower rates of infection and bleeding compared to those who delayed pushing.
A study analyzing over 937,000 single embryo transfer cycles found that the proportion of multiple pregnancies is 1.6% and 1.36% result from true zygotic splitting. Factors increasing the risk include frozen-thawed embryos, longer blastocyst maturation, and assisted hatching.
A pilot study found that pregnant women with a history of depression or bipolar disorder process infant facial and vocal signals of emotion differently. Pregnant women with bipolar disorder had difficulty recognizing all facial expressions, while those with previous depression showed a negative bias in adult facial expression recogniti...
Researchers found that acute respiratory failure, obstetric hemorrhage, and hypertensive disorders were common indications for mechanical ventilation. Factors associated with higher mortality included vasopressor use, blood transfusions, neurological dysfunction, coagulopathy, and ARDS.
Research suggests that efavirenz may increase the risk of a neurological condition, such as microcephaly or seizures, in children born to HIV-positive mothers on this ART regimen. The SMARTT study found that 60% more babies exposed to efavirenz developed a neurological condition compared to those not exposed.
A new study based on SWAN data suggests that women with a history of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and gestational diabetes may experience a greater burden of hot flashes during the menopause transition. The study identified social factors such as education as influential in shaping pregnancy outcomes and hot flashes.
A comprehensive epidemiological study published in Neurology reveals that women with epilepsy are at a significantly increased risk of mortality during pregnancy. Despite the small absolute risk, the probability must be multiplied by five, making pregnant women with epilepsy a critical group to follow closer.
Scientists successfully inserted human DNA into transgenic laboratory mice, allowing them to study the biology of preterm birth. They discovered a stress hormone called corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) and its interaction with a transcription factor called DLX3 in the placenta.
A new study finds that delayed pregnancy may increase cardiovascular disease risk in both women and their children, with boys at higher risk. Researchers also found sex-specific differences in health risks of the offspring, highlighting the importance of assessing cardiovascular health during pregnancy.
A care package aimed at reducing the risk of stillbirth showed a marginal drop in rates, but effects were too small to prove its benefits. The study suggests other interventions will likely be needed to reduce stillbirth rates worldwide.
A study published in the Journal of Behavioral Medicine found that women with shorter days during late pregnancy may be at a higher risk of developing postpartum depression. Exposure to natural light and vitamin D can help alleviate symptoms.
A Northwestern University study shows that obese and overweight pregnant women can safely restrict weight gain through healthy diet and lifestyle habits guided by a smartphone app. This approach resulted in normal birth weights and reduced the risk of gestational diabetes, hypertension, and preeclampsia.
Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have developed a physiological test to predict autism risk in pregnant mothers. The study found that differences in plasma metabolites indicate an increased risk of having a child with ASD, with a relative risk of 18.7 percent vs 1.7 percent.
Research suggests that consuming fatty fish during pregnancy can enhance babies' brain function and visual development. The study analyzed 56 mothers and their children, finding that those who ate fish three or more times a week had better test results for visual functioning and maturational changes.
A high-gluten diet during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of type 1 diabetes in children, according to a large observational study. The researchers found that the child's risk of developing type 1 diabetes increased proportionally with the mother's gluten intake during pregnancy.
Researchers found that women who experienced higher levels of trauma and secreted higher levels of cortisol in late pregnancy had male infants with lower birth weights, averaging a 38-gram decrease. The study's results suggest that maternal trauma can have lasting effects on fetal development.
Research by Professor Wing Hung Tam and colleagues found that excessive or inadequate weight gain during pregnancy is associated with increased risk of cardiometabolic problems in children aged 7, including higher blood pressure and poor blood sugar control. The study suggests balancing weight gain to minimize adverse outcomes while co...
New research finds tiny particles of carbon in placentas, suggesting air pollution can affect foetal development. The study reveals that sooty particles from the mother's lungs can reach the placenta via the bloodstream.
A randomised controlled trial found that high dose folic acid supplementation beyond the first trimester has no benefit for preventing pre-eclampsia. However, low dose folic acid supplements before and during early pregnancy are still strongly recommended to prevent birth defects such as spina bifida.
A new study conducted in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia found that high-efficiency particulate arresting (HEPA) air purifiers can decrease fine particulate matter by 29% and lead to babies weighing up to 85 grams more at term. The results provide further evidence of the negative impact of air pollution exposure during pregnancy on fetal growth.
Mothers with elevated blood glucose during pregnancy were more likely to develop type 2 diabetes a decade after giving birth. Children born to mothers with high blood glucose also had a higher risk of obesity, even when adjusted for the mother's BMI.
A new study found that pregnant overweight and obese women can limit their weight gain with diet and exercise interventions, reducing complications but not impacting birth weight. The trials included diverse socioeconomic groups and showed that reduced weight gain did not result in fewer obstetrical complications.
A new smartphone-based research platform has been developed to recruit a large and diverse population of pregnant women for a study. The platform, built using Apple's ResearchKit technology, was embedded into the popular WebMD Pregnancy app and connected researchers with over 1.6 million potential participants.
Researchers aim to explore treatment for birth defects like spina bifida and anencephaly by studying how the neural tube closes, with $3.2 million from the NIH. A hybrid microscope combining Brillouin spectroscopy and OCT will help understand mechanical properties controlling neural tube closure in developing embryos.
A study of 736 pregnant women found that fish oil supplements led to a sustained increase in BMI, primarily due to proportional increases in lean and bone mass. By age 6, children whose mothers took fish oil supplements had higher total mass, lean mass, bone mineral content, and fat mass compared to those who received olive oil.
The USPSTF reaffirms the importance of syphilis screening in pregnant women due to the increased risk of congenital syphilis. Untreated syphilis can lead to stillbirth, neonatal death, and significant illness in infants.
A new study suggests that wearing a device around the waist to prevent supine sleep in late pregnancy can improve both maternal and fetal health outcomes. The intervention reduced supine sleep time and increased minimum oxygen saturations, with minimal impact on maternal perception of sleep quality.
A new study by Hanna Grol-Prokopczyk found that celebrities in the US have lower rates of out-of-wedlock births compared to the general population, but this disparity is seen among white women with college education. Celebrity news outlets like People magazine may be contributing to a shift towards more non-traditional family arrangeme...
A study by the University of Nottingham discovered that a lack of protein in a father's diet can negatively impact his offspring's long-term health. The research found that low-protein diets affect sperm quality, leading to increased obesity, type 2 diabetes, and reduced metabolic gene expression in offspring.
Researchers analyzed data from over 5,700 pregnant women with heart disease and found that fewer deaths occurred during pregnancy compared to previous years. However, nearly one in ten women with pulmonary arterial hypertension died during pregnancy or early post-partum. Pre-pregnancy counseling is crucial to identify high-risk patients.
Guidelines recommend inducing labour or caesarean section at 40 weeks to minimize pregnancy risks, particularly for women with congenital heart disease. Women with heart disease face higher mortality risk during pregnancy compared to healthy counterparts.
A study analyzing over 220,000 pregnancies found that women with mild or severe nausea and vomiting in pregnancy had a greater likelihood of using marijuana during the first trimester. The overall frequency of marijuana use among pregnant women was 5.3 percent.
A Kaiser Permanente study found that pregnant women with nausea and vomiting in pregnancy were significantly more likely to have used marijuana during pregnancy. Women with severe nausea and vomiting had nearly four times greater odds of prenatal marijuana use than those without symptoms.
A new study examines the scope of US state policies targeting drug use during pregnancy, revealing a trend towards punitive laws that limit access to treatment and services for pregnant women. Supportive policies are scarce, with only 12 states having such laws in place as of 2016.
A study of 30,000 pregnant women across nine European cities found associations between socio-economic status and exposure to environmental hazards such as air pollution, noise, and lack of green spaces. The findings highlight the need for urban planners to address environmental inequalities to reduce health disparities in pregnancy.
Researchers found that a blood test conducted as early as the 10th week of pregnancy may help identify women at risk for gestational diabetes. The study suggests that measuring HbA1c levels in early pregnancy could determine a woman's later risk for the condition, allowing for lifestyle changes to reduce the risk.
A Finnish national birth cohort study linked DDT metabolite exposure to increased autism risk in offspring. Maternal blood analyzed for DDE and PCBs found higher odds of autism with intellectual disability among offspring exposed to elevated DDE levels, persisting after adjusting for confounding factors.
The Phase 1 clinical trial will analyze the immune response and assess the safety of the experimental vaccine, which has shown promise in earlier tests in rhesus macaques. The trial is designed to enroll 28 healthy adults and will last up to one year.
A new study published in Biological Psychiatry found that high maternal cortisol levels during pregnancy are associated with anxious and depressive-like behaviors in female offspring at the age of 2. The effect is linked to altered brain connectivity, particularly in the amygdala region important for emotion processing.
A novel finger-prick test is 100% sensitive and specific for detecting Toxoplasma gondii infection during pregnancy. The test can rapidly inform obstetricians about the need for prompt treatment, potentially saving lives and preventing severe brain damage.
Research by University of Notre Dame professors finds prenatal exposure to violence is associated with increased toddler aggression towards their mothers. The study also reveals that intervening early during pregnancy can significantly reduce the negative impact on children.
A study published in CMAJ found that women with intellectual and developmental disabilities have a nearly double rate of having another baby within a year of delivering. Rapid repeat pregnancies are associated with smaller babies, preterm birth, and other adverse effects.
A new study from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston found that wearing a physician's white coat does not affect patient satisfaction or communication. Researchers discovered that patients were often unable to remember if their physicians were wearing white coats, with 40% reporting they couldn't recall.
Postpartum depression is no longer seen as primarily a female reproductive issue, with new research suggesting that men experience comparable rates of depression after childbirth. Cultural and hormonal factors are being reevaluated in light of the findings.
A new national study has found that inducing labor in first-time mothers at 39 weeks can lower respiratory problems and potentially decrease cesarean rates and hypertension. Researchers suggest discussing induction with healthcare providers to inform the decision, as it may lead to significant changes in pregnancy management.
A study found that inducing labor at 39 weeks in healthy women reduces the need for cesarean sections and is as safe as waiting for spontaneous labor. The procedure may also lower the risk of preeclampsia and respiratory issues in newborns.