Childbirth News and Research

Latest Childbirth News and Research

Women's community groups help reduce neonatal mortality rates

Women's community groups have had a dramatic effect on reducing neonatal mortality rates in some of the poorest areas on India, according to a study published today in the journal the Lancet. The groups provide a cost-effective intervention with added benefits such as reducing significantly maternal depression and improving decision-making amongst the women.

8 Mar 2010

Healthy communication between patients and physicians reduces medical errors

National Patient Safety Awareness Week is taking place from March 7th to the 13th. This year’s theme is all about healthy communication between patients and their physicians. The simple theme Let’s Talk: Healthy Conversations for Safer Healthcare is aimed at helping people become more involved in their own health care.

6 Mar 2010

Also in Global Health News: U.S. Ambassador to U.N.; Male circumcision; River blindness in Ecuador; Nursing shortage in Caribbean; Maternal health in Bolivia; Drug-resistant TB in North Korea; Cholera vaccine

Betty King reported to her new position as U.S. ambassador to the U.N. in Geneva on Wednesday, the Associated Press reports. "Washington's Geneva mission had been without an ambassador since Warren W. Tichenor left his post on Jan. 20, 2009 - when Barack Obama was sworn in as president," according to the news service (3/3).

4 Mar 2010

Nevirapine taken to protect fetus from HIV should be avoided for one year after childbirth, say researchers

Women given the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention drug nevirapine to protect their fetus should not use an HIV-drug regimen that contains nevirapine for at least one year after childbirth, say researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

25 Feb 2010

New report identifies enormous global impact of preterm birth and stillbirth

A new report issued today identifies the enormous global impact of preterm birth and stillbirth-and what can be done to decrease it. Globally, an estimated 13 million babies are born preterm each year. Newborn deaths now account for more than 42 percent of mortality in children under the age of five, a rise from 37 percent in the year 2000.

24 Feb 2010

Research addresses preterm birth, stillbirth health issues, highlights preventive interventions

New research published in BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth notes some of the "serious short- and long-term health issues" associated with preterm births and identifies steps that can be taken to reduce the number of stillbirths and premature births worldwide, United Press International reports.

24 Feb 2010

Prevention of preterm birth and stillbirth: Global collaborative efforts needed

A new report identifies the enormous global impact of preterm birth and stillbirth—and what can be done to decrease it. Globally, an estimated 13 million babies are born preterm each year. Newborn deaths now account for more than 42 percent of mortality in children under the age of five, a rise from 37 percent in the year 2000. Additionally, an estimated 3.2 million are stillborn each year, and many of these losses are linked to maternal deaths.

23 Feb 2010

Global report identifies causes leading to preterm births and stillbirths

More research and attention are urgently needed to understand and reduce the incidence of preterm births and stillbirths worldwide, according to experts from the Global Alliance to Prevent Prematurity and Stillbirth (GAPPS).

23 Feb 2010

Black women are more prone to peripartum cardiomyopathy around childbirth time

A study examining the incidence of peripartum cardiomyopathy in women who gave birth at a Medical College of Georgia's teaching hospital between July 2003 and July 2008, showed that while 55 percent of the women were white, 93 percent of those who developed cardiomyopathy were black, said Dr. Mindy B. Gentry, an MCG cardiologist.

23 Feb 2010

Patient registry formed to track clinical course of hypoactive sexual desire disorder

New findings from a European study show that women with low sexual desire and associated distress experience personal and emotional distress related to the sexual issue.

19 Feb 2010

Efficient healthcare system in sub-Saharan Africa can reduce maternal deaths

More than 500,000 women die each year worldwide due to complications arising from pregnancy and childbirth. Half of these women live in sub-Saharan Africa. A research team from the King Juan Carlos University (URJC) in Madrid says these women are not dying as a result of any illness, but rather from a lack of basic healthcare measures.

19 Feb 2010

Study: Several types of treatment can provide relief for pelvic floor disorders

Pelvic health concerns in women are common -- yet how the issues impact sexuality and childbearing is not often discussed, according to Mayo Clinic Women’s HealthSource.

18 Feb 2010

Article features pelvic health problems, risk factors and treatment options for women

Pelvic health concerns in women are common -- yet how the issues impact sexuality and childbearing is not often discussed, according to Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource.

12 Feb 2010

Study indicates women receiving antiretroviral therapy are more likely to become pregnant

In PLoS Medicine this week a study conducted in a multi-country HIV treatment program in sub-Saharan Africa has found that pregnancy rates increase in HIV-infected women after they start antiretroviral therapy (ART).

9 Feb 2010

Recent releases in Global Health

A Lancet study examines childbirth practices and the relationship between these practices and maternal and perinatal outcomes in nine Asian countries, as assessed by a WHO global survey. Based on the analysis of over 107,000 deliveries, the authors conclude, "To improve maternal and perinatal outcomes, caesarean section should be done only when there is a medical indication" (Lumbiganon et al., 2/6). These findings "should help us to prioritise our strategies to reduce unnecessary interventions in childbirth," write the authors of a Lancet comment.

5 Feb 2010

Research could help in developing protein-based vaccine against maternal malaria

Researchers at the University of Copenhagen have become the first in the world to synthesize the entire protein that is responsible for life-threatening malaria in pregnant women and their unborn children.

5 Feb 2010

New approach may prove useful in labor anesthesia, orthopedics and more

One of the holy grails of local anesthesia is the ability to achieve a long-lasting nerve block that eliminates pain sensation while not affecting motor function. Now, researchers at Children's Hospital Boston have discovered an anesthetic approach that seems to do just that.

2 Feb 2010

U.S. government resumes medical evacuations from Haiti; new food voucher distribution targeting women begins

"The U.S. government said on Sunday it would resume military evacuation flights" within 12 hours for critically ill and injured Haitians who were harmed in the Jan. 12 earthquake, Reuters reports (Rosenberg/Brown, 1/31). Medical evacuations had been suspended for a few days, but the reason for the suspension "is unclear as various government authorities have provided different explanations," the Wall Street Journal reports.

2 Feb 2010

Obama's budget to boost Medicaid funding, broaden global health approach

President Obama's budget proposal tops $3.8 trillion, and would draw a $1.3 trillion shortfall in 2011 despite efforts to freeze and cut spending and channel an extra $100 billion to immediately attack the high unemployment rate, The Washington Post reports.

2 Feb 2010

More details on Obama's global health strategy expected along with budget release, Wall Street Journal reports

"The Obama administration is expected to propose in its fiscal 2011 budget Monday new funding to combat preventable and tropical diseases, malnutrition and other conditions afflicting the world's poor, as part of a strategy to broaden its approach to global health," the Wall Street Journal reports.

2 Feb 2010

Childbirth News and Research

Latest Childbirth News and Research

Women's community groups help reduce neonatal mortality rates

Healthy communication between patients and physicians reduces medical errors

Also in Global Health News: U.S. Ambassador to U.N.; Male circumcision; River blindness in Ecuador; Nursing shortage in Caribbean; Maternal health in Bolivia; Drug-resistant TB in North Korea; Cholera vaccine

Nevirapine taken to protect fetus from HIV should be avoided for one year after childbirth, say researchers

New report identifies enormous global impact of preterm birth and stillbirth

Research addresses preterm birth, stillbirth health issues, highlights preventive interventions

Prevention of preterm birth and stillbirth: Global collaborative efforts needed

Global report identifies causes leading to preterm births and stillbirths

Black women are more prone to peripartum cardiomyopathy around childbirth time

Patient registry formed to track clinical course of hypoactive sexual desire disorder

Efficient healthcare system in sub-Saharan Africa can reduce maternal deaths

Study: Several types of treatment can provide relief for pelvic floor disorders

Article features pelvic health problems, risk factors and treatment options for women

Study indicates women receiving antiretroviral therapy are more likely to become pregnant

Recent releases in Global Health

Research could help in developing protein-based vaccine against maternal malaria

New approach may prove useful in labor anesthesia, orthopedics and more

U.S. government resumes medical evacuations from Haiti; new food voucher distribution targeting women begins

Obama's budget to boost Medicaid funding, broaden global health approach

More details on Obama's global health strategy expected along with budget release, Wall Street Journal reports

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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