Pregnancy News and Research

Latest Pregnancy News and Research

Study reveals higher perinatal, postpartum risks for individuals with autism and intellectual disabilities

American women have the highest rate of maternal deaths among high-income countries, with outcomes worse for minoritized groups.

16 Aug 2024

Saliva test offers hope for head and neck cancer patients

But what if a mouthwash-based test to detect biomarkers can help physicians predict disease recurrence in head and neck cancer patients?

16 Aug 2024

Maternal heart rate variability tied to postpartum mental health and infant brain development, study reveals

Researchers find that lower maternal heart rate variability postpartum is linked to higher anxiety and depression, affecting both mother and infant neurophysiology.

14 Aug 2024

Breakthrough malaria vaccine offers long-term protection for pregnant women

In a report published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases (Safety and efficacy of PfSPZ Vaccine against malaria in healthy adults and women anticipating pregnancy in Mali: two randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 1 and 2 trials) a team led by investigators at the Malaria Research and Training Center (MRTC), Bamako, Mali; the Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology (LMIV), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health; and Sanaria Inc. describes the durable protective efficacy against malaria shown by Sanaria® PfSPZ Vaccine when administered to women prior to pregnancy.

14 Aug 2024

Experimental malaria vaccine shows promise in protecting pregnant women

Two National Institutes of Health (NIH)-supported trials of an experimental malaria vaccine in healthy Malian adults found that all three tested regimens were safe.

14 Aug 2024

Study finds minimal impact of cesarean antibiotics on infant gut microbiome

Cesarean section recipients are usually given prophylactic antibiotics just before the procedure to prevent later infections at the surgical site.

14 Aug 2024

New insights into the pharmacokinetics of remdesivir in treating SARS-CoV-2 in pregnant women

A new study provides important insights into the pharmacokinetics and safety of intravenous remdesivir in treating the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus in pregnant women.

13 Aug 2024

Study suggests maternal adverse childhood experiences may become biologically embedded

Researchers investigated the transfer of biological embedding of life experience across generations by evaluating traumatic childhood experiences of mothers and epigenetic clocks in pregnant mothers and their newborn offspring.

13 Aug 2024

Legislative changes improve mental health care access for pregnant and postpartum women

Pregnant and postpartum women with depression and anxiety have a slightly better chance of getting psychotherapy these days, a new study finds. And they are paying less of their own money when they do.

9 Aug 2024

Inflammation during pregnancy impacts child neurodevelopment

When a person experiences an injury or infection, the body's immune system responds with inflammation to start the healing process. However, inflammation can occur in much less helpful circumstances – for example, when a person experiences psychological stress or consistently eats a poor diet high in sugars, fats, and processed foods.

9 Aug 2024

Research warns of long-term health consequences from Ukraine conflict

The ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine has led to severe humanitarian crises, including widespread food shortages. According to the United Nations World Food Programme, an estimated 11 million Ukrainians-;about one-third of the population-;were at risk of hunger in 2023. This crisis, exacerbated by supply chain disruptions and extreme weather events, could increase diabetes prevalence not only in Ukraine but globally, argue Peter Klimek and Stefan Thurner from the Complexity Science Hub in a commentary published in the journal Science.

9 Aug 2024

KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': The Walz record

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is Vice President Kamala Harris' choice of running mate. Walz — also a former U.S. congressman, high school teacher, and member of the National Guard — has a folksy, Midwestern affect and a liberal record.

8 Aug 2024

Bran-enriched corn flour lowers LDL cholesterol in adults with elevated levels, study finds

Study found that bran-enriched corn flour significantly reduces LDL cholesterol levels in adults with elevated cholesterol, while having minimal impact on gut microbiota composition.

8 Aug 2024

Alcohol use disorders in parents linked to accelerated aging in children

Researchers at the Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) have discovered that parents who struggle with alcohol use disorders can pass along symptoms of early aging to their children, affecting them well into adulthood.

8 Aug 2024

Coronary atherosclerosis prevalent even in low-risk adults with normal cholesterol levels

Researchers found that coronary atherosclerosis is prevalent in asymptomatic, middle-aged US adults without traditional ASCVD risk factors, and increases with higher levels of LDL-C, non-HDL-C, and apoB.

8 Aug 2024

Investigational drug shows promise in treating rare blood disease in fetuses

Data from a new investigational drug that could alter the standard treatment for a rare blood disease suggests it has the potential to delay or prevent anemia and the need for intrauterine blood transfusions in babies who are at high risk for the condition, known as Hemolytic Disease of the Fetus and Newborn (HDFN).

7 Aug 2024

Study finds association between pesticide exposure and stillbirth risk

Living less than about one-third of a mile from pesticide use prior to conception and during early pregnancy could increase the risk of stillbirths, according to new research led by researchers at the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health and Southwest Environmental Health Sciences Center.

7 Aug 2024

Higher BPA levels in pregnant mothers linked to autism in sons

Florey researchers have found evidence of higher levels of the plastic chemical bisphenol A (BPA) in pregnant mothers who gave birth to sons with autism.

7 Aug 2024

Study finds no link between gestational diabetes and breast cancer risk

Women who develop gestational diabetes are not more likely to go on to be diagnosed with breast cancer, according to a study of almost three-quarters of a million mothers to be presented at this year's Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) (Madrid, 9-13 September).

6 Aug 2024