Birth Defects News and Research

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Prenatal exposure to phthalate DiNP associated with shorter AGD in Swedish boys: Study

The first study to examine prenatal exposure to the phthalate DiNP finds it is associated with a shorter anogenital distance (AGD) in Swedish boys at the age of 21 months. These findings raise concern since animal research has linked DiNP exposure to a shorter AGD, and studies on humans have related shorter AGD to male genital birth defects as well as impaired reproductive function in adult males, and the levels of DiNP metabolites in humans are increasing globally.

30 Oct 2014

New genetic guideline to help physicians make right diagnosis for subtypes of muscular dystrophy

The American Academy of Neurology (AAN) and the American Association of Neuromuscular & Electrodiagnostic Medicine (AANEM) offer a new guideline on how to determine what genetic tests may best diagnose a person's subtype of limb-girdle or distal muscular dystrophy.

16 Oct 2014

New guideline makes recommendations about treating, managing distal muscular dystrophy

A new guideline from the American Association of Neuromuscular & Electrodiagnostic Medicine and the American Academy of Neurology recommends guidance on how doctors should evaluate the full picture—from symptoms, family history, and ethnicity, to a physical exam and certain lab test results—in order to determine what genetic tests may best diagnose a person's subtype of limb-girdle or distal muscular dystrophy.

14 Oct 2014

Medical geneticists diagnose genetic syndromes, improve children’s quality of life

The genes children inherit determine everything from their height to their hair color. But sometimes, a child's genetic code also contains hidden abnormalities that can cause an array of health issues, such as developmental delays or physical or mental illness.

13 Oct 2014

BGI issued patent for non-invasive prenatal genetic test technology

The European Patent Office has issued patent number EP2561103B1 for invention to BGI for its independently researched non-invasive prenatal genetic test (NIPT) technology. This technology has been developed by BGI in connection with the provision of its market leading NIPT, the NIFTY test.

12 Oct 2014

MU researcher gets $1 million from CDC to enhance FASDs prevention efforts

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs), like Autism Spectrum Disorders, manifest in childhood as physical abnormalities along with social, attention and learning difficulties that range in severity and continue into adulthood.

5 Oct 2014

Researchers analyze incidence of childhood brain tumors

Older parents, birth defects, maternal nutrition and childhood exposure to CT scans and pesticides are increasingly being associated with brain tumors in children, according to new research from the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis.

3 Oct 2014

Getting a flu vaccination helps moms help their babies

Only about half of all pregnant women in the U.S. get a flu shot each season, leaving thousands of moms-to-be and their babies at increased risk of serious illness.

19 Sep 2014

Global study shows accuracy of RNA genomic sequencing techniques

Physicians envision a future in which genomic data from patients is heavily used to manage care - but experts have questioned the accuracy and reliability of these analyses. Now, a study by 150 researchers in 12 countries finds real strength and agreement across RNA genomic sequencing techniques and laboratories - as well as ways to improve what little variability exists to set a new high standard.

15 Sep 2014

Research gives scientists new insight into evolution of gibbon genome

A team led by an Oregon Health & Science University researcher has sequenced and annotated the genome of the only ape whose DNA had yet to be sequenced - the gibbon, an endangered small ape that inhabits the tropical forests of Southeast Asia.

11 Sep 2014

Research specifically targets males' accessibility to emergency contraception

Male shoppers in search of emergency contraception do not always have an easy time making these purchases and may be turned away at their local pharmacies.

10 Sep 2014

Study urges women not to drink during full nine months of pregnancy

All things in moderation, the saying goes, but if you are a pregnant woman no amount of alcohol is known to be safe for the developing baby.

8 Sep 2014

Researchers use new gene editing method to correct mutation that leads to DMD

UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers successfully used a new gene editing method to correct the mutation that leads to Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) in a mouse model of the condition.

17 Aug 2014

Health institutions tackle high rate of preterm birth

An estimated 15 million babies are born preterm every year and more than one million die within the first 30 days after birth.

14 Aug 2014

"Self-fitting" material precisely fills bone defects and acts as scaffold for new bone growth

Injuries, birth defects (such as cleft palates) or surgery to remove a tumor can create gaps in bone that are too large to heal naturally. And when they occur in the head, face or jaw, these bone defects can dramatically alter a person's appearance.

13 Aug 2014

Breech births increase fetal mortality rate compared to elective vaginal delivery

While a rise in cesarean section (C-section) delivery rates due to breech presentation has improved neonatal outcome, 40% of term breech deliveries in the Netherlands are planned vaginal deliveries.

11 Aug 2014

Research sheds light on how wounds heal

Research by a civil engineer from the University of Waterloo is helping shed light on the way wounds heal and may someday have implications for understanding how cancer spreads, as well as why certain birth defects occur.

7 Aug 2014

Viewpoints: Medicare's future finances; 'promising deal' on VA; Texas 'war on abortion'

Medicare got some good news Monday, when the trustees who oversee its finances announced that the fund that pays for hospital care will remain solvent until 2030, four years longer than its forecast from last year.

30 Jul 2014

Doctors still prescribe patience as part of acne treatment regimen

When it comes to treating acne, much has advanced medical practice, but patients are still prescribed patience as part of any treatment regimen, according to a nationally recognized expert on the skin condition that affects millions of teenagers in the U.S. each year.

18 Jul 2014

Letrozole drug results in higher birth rates in women with PCOS

The drug letrozole results in higher birth rates in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) than the current preferred infertility treatment drug, according to a nationwide study led by Penn State College of Medicine researchers.

10 Jul 2014