Childbirth News and Research

Latest Childbirth News and Research

Study links social inequality to lower pain relief during labor

In a study of women in labor in the U. S., social inequity was associated with lower use of neuraxial analgesia -- an epidural or spinal pain reliever-- among non-Hispanic White women and, to a greater extent, among African American women, according to research at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and Columbia Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons (P&S).

2 Feb 2024

Elevated cortisol in pregnant women with depression linked to preterm birth, low birth weight

Women with depressive symptoms during pregnancy may experience an alteration in the circadian rhythm of cortisol — a hormone that is necessary for fetal development — which could affect the course of pregnancy.

1 Feb 2024

Specialist support helps new moms with severe mental illness reduce relapse risk

New research from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King's College London, and in partnership with the University of Exeter and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, has found that women with a history of severe mental illness face a lower risk of relapse after giving birth in regions where they have access to a community perinatal mental health team (CPMHT).

23 Jan 2024

Women and minorities bear the brunt of medical misdiagnosis

Charity Watkins sensed something was deeply wrong when she experienced exhaustion after her daughter was born.

18 Jan 2024

UK's maternal mortality rate hits 20-year high

The latest set of data presented by the MBRRACE-UK Collaboration investigation into maternal deaths in the UK shows that the mortality rate for women who died during or soon after pregnancy has increased to levels not seen since 2003-05.

11 Jan 2024

Women with perinatal depression have an elevated mortality risk

Women who suffer depression during or after pregnancy have a higher risk of death by both natural and unnatural causes, a new study of childbirth in Sweden published in The BMJ reports.

10 Jan 2024

Study reveals bidirectional association between autoimmune disease and perinatal depression

Women with autoimmune disease are more likely to suffer from depression during pregnancy and after childbirth; conversely, women with a history of perinatal depression are at higher risk of developing autoimmune disease, a new study from Karolinska Institutet published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry reports.

8 Jan 2024

Age plays a critical role in the diagnosis of von Willebrand disease, study reveals

New research by RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences published in Blood journal has revealed that the age at which individuals are tested for von Willebrand disease (VWD), a common bleeding disorder, significantly affects their diagnosis.

8 Jan 2024

Is screen time really to blame for poor drawing skills in kids?

Study found that the link between screen viewing and drawing ability in young French children is influenced by socioeconomic factors, rather than a direct causal relationship between screen time and cognitive development.

4 Jan 2024

New doula benefit ‘life-changing’ for California mom

When Mia Bloomer found out she was pregnant with her fourth child, she wanted a different birth experience. She wanted to feel empowered, informed, and heard — elements she found lacking during her earlier births.

19 Dec 2023

Maternal microbiome's pivotal role in shaping fetal and neonatal immune systems during pregnancy

Review in Nature Reviews Gastroenterology and Hepatology explores how the maternal microbiome during pregnancy influences the immune systems of the mother, fetus, and neonate, highlighting its impact on long-term health outcomes and the development of pregnancy complications.

18 Dec 2023

COVID-19 significantly raises risk of severe complications in pregnant women

Study found that pregnant mothers with COVID-19 face a significantly higher risk of severe maternal morbidity (SMM), including adult respiratory distress syndrome and acute renal failure, emphasizing the urgent need for their early diagnosis and treatment.

10 Dec 2023

Being Black and pregnant in the deep South can be a dangerous combination

O'laysha Davis was a few weeks shy of her due date when in mid-August she decided it was time to switch doctors.

8 Dec 2023

UC San Diego Health recognized as top maternity hospital

UC San Diego Health is recognized as a 2023-2024 High Performing Hospital for Maternity Care, which is the highest award a hospital can earn by U.S. News & World Report for obstetric and infant care.

5 Dec 2023

Backlash to affirmative action hits pioneering maternal health program for Black women

For Briana Jones, a young Black mother in San Francisco, a city program called the Abundant Birth Project has been a godsend.

24 Nov 2023

Delaying cord clamping could save lives of premature babies

Waiting for two minutes or longer to clamp the umbilical cord of a premature baby soon after birth could help reduce the risk of death, compared with immediately clamping the umbilical cord, or waiting a shorter time before doing so.

14 Nov 2023

Delaying umbilical cord clamping of premature babies likely reduces the risk of death soon after birth

Waiting for two minutes or longer to clamp the umbilical cord of a premature baby likely reduces the risk of death soon after birth, compared with immediately clamping the cord or waiting a shorter time, according to two companion systematic reviews and meta-analyses published in The Lancet.

14 Nov 2023

Study shows long-term cardiovascular benefits of tight blood pressure control after pregnancy

Women with high blood pressure during pregnancy had long-term blood pressure and cardiac benefits if their blood pressure was carefully controlled for the first few weeks after having a baby, according to late-breaking science presented today at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2023.

13 Nov 2023

Maternal metabolic conditions linked to children's neurodevelopmental risks, study shows

Study investigates how maternal metabolic conditions like pregestational diabetes, gestational diabetes, and obesity mediate the risk of neurodevelopmental conditions in children. It highlights the significant role of obstetric and neonatal complications in this relationship, emphasizing the need for managing these complications to mitigate children's risk of developing conditions like ADHD and autism.

12 Nov 2023

New research finds father's prenatal mental health may benefit child's behavior and IQ

The association between paternal mental health and a child's development during middle childhood.

9 Nov 2023

Childbirth News and Research

Latest Childbirth News and Research

Study links social inequality to lower pain relief during labor

Elevated cortisol in pregnant women with depression linked to preterm birth, low birth weight

Specialist support helps new moms with severe mental illness reduce relapse risk

Women and minorities bear the brunt of medical misdiagnosis

UK's maternal mortality rate hits 20-year high

Women with perinatal depression have an elevated mortality risk

Study reveals bidirectional association between autoimmune disease and perinatal depression

Age plays a critical role in the diagnosis of von Willebrand disease, study reveals

Is screen time really to blame for poor drawing skills in kids?

New doula benefit ‘life-changing’ for California mom

Maternal microbiome's pivotal role in shaping fetal and neonatal immune systems during pregnancy

COVID-19 significantly raises risk of severe complications in pregnant women

Being Black and pregnant in the deep South can be a dangerous combination

UC San Diego Health recognized as top maternity hospital

Backlash to affirmative action hits pioneering maternal health program for Black women

Delaying cord clamping could save lives of premature babies

Delaying umbilical cord clamping of premature babies likely reduces the risk of death soon after birth

Study shows long-term cardiovascular benefits of tight blood pressure control after pregnancy

Maternal metabolic conditions linked to children's neurodevelopmental risks, study shows

New research finds father's prenatal mental health may benefit child's behavior and IQ

Small solutions for big problems in drug discovery and delivery

Professor Nancy Ip: Pioneering New Paths in Neurodegenerative Therapy

Utilizing process Raman in optimizing cultivated meat production

Childbirth News and Research

Latest Childbirth News and Research

Small solutions for big problems in drug discovery and delivery

Professor Nancy Ip: Pioneering New Paths in Neurodegenerative Therapy

Utilizing process Raman in optimizing cultivated meat production

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