Pregnancy News and Research

Latest Pregnancy News and Research

New infection test enables point of care diagnosis

A new infection test, made up of sheets of paper patterned by lasers, has been developed by University of Southampton researchers to allow diagnosis at the point of care - helping doctors give patients the right treatment, faster.

25 Feb 2020

Using 'mini-brains' to detect harmful neurodevelopmental effects of antidepressant

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health have demonstrated the use of stem-cell-derived "mini-brains" to detect harmful side effects of a common drug on the developing brain.

21 Feb 2020

Scientists identify chemicals in urine that are specific to overactive bladder

Millions of people might eventually be spared the embarrassment and extreme isolation caused by wetting themselves, thanks to new research.

21 Feb 2020

Survey reveals trends in condom use to prevent STIs and pregnancy

Researchers at McMaster University have peered into the most intimate moments of sexually active women and men across Canada to ask if they're using condoms, all in an effort to gather data that could inform decisions around public health and sex education.

21 Feb 2020

Macrolide, penicillin antibiotics in pregnancy could affect children’s health

A new study published in the journal BMJ in February 2020 reports that macrolide or penicillin antibiotic consumption in pregnancy could be linked to several adverse health outcomes in children. These include major malformations, cerebral palsy, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and autism spectrum disorder.

20 Feb 2020

Study: About 8% of West Virginia newborns are exposed to alcohol few weeks before birth

About 8 percent of West Virginia newborns are exposed to alcohol two to four weeks before birth, according to a new study.

20 Feb 2020

UTHealth physician-scientist receives AHA’s $1 million Merit Award for stroke research

Louise D. McCullough, MD, PhD, a physician-scientist at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston is a recipient of the American Heart Association's prestigious $1 million Merit Award to investigate whether the maternal microbiome influences stroke risk in offspring.

19 Feb 2020

Research looks at prenatal cannabis use

More and more, pregnant women today are using cannabis, which is mostly for relieving stress and coping with mood changes. However, the risk associated with this for pregnant women who have mental ill-health or trauma is mostly unexplored.

19 Feb 2020

First baby born from frozen immature eggs matured in the lab

Cancer can take a toll on a woman’s body, with many unable to conceive after rigorous treatments. In some cases, especially for women who have no children yet, they opt for egg cell freezing so they can still become pregnant after treatment. Now, for the first time, a woman has given birth to a baby from frozen immature eggs harvested from her five years ago.

19 Feb 2020

Autism in young boys linked to phthalate exposure before birth

A new study published in February 2020 in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives shows that being exposed to phthalates during intrauterine life is associated with the occurrence of autistic traits in boys 3-4 years old, but not in girls. These include poor social interaction, repetitive behavior, and a narrow range of interests, stopping short of an actual diagnosis of autism.

19 Feb 2020

Maternal obesity may increase a child's risk for ADHD, behavioral problems

Maternal obesity may increase a child's risk for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to an analysis by researchers from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, part of the National Institutes of Health.

19 Feb 2020

Supersensitive nanomaterials hold promise for DNA analysis and next-generation drugs

In 1900, German physician Paul Ehrlich came up with the notion of a "magic bullet." The basic idea is to inject a patient with smart particles capable of finding, recognizing, and treating a disease. Medicine has pursued the magic bullet ever since.

19 Feb 2020

BPA-free plastic products aren't safe for people to use, scientists warn

Using "BPA-free" plastic products could be as harmful to human health -- including a developing brain -- as those products that contain the controversial chemical, suggest scientists in a new study led by the University of Missouri and published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

19 Feb 2020

Association between HMO concentrations and infant weight, body composition

Breastfeeding affects infant growth and, researchers have found, helps prevent obesity, both in childhood and later in life. However, the components of breast milk responsible for these beneficial effects remain mostly a mystery.

18 Feb 2020

BU study finds higher fecundability in the fall

First-of-its-kind study accounts for when couples are most likely to start trying to conceive, finding couples conceive quicker in late fall and early winter, especially in southern states.

18 Feb 2020

First transplant of deceased donor's uterus in Sweden

The Swedish team responsible for uterine transplantation research has, for the first time, transplanted a uterus from a deceased donor. The operation proceeded without complications and the recipient is doing well.

18 Feb 2020

Antioxidant in mushrooms may relieve symptoms of pre-eclampsia

Pregnancy hypertension, or Pre-eclampsia, is a complex disorder of pregnancy. Treatment of elevated blood pressure can manage the condition in the mother, but in severe cases delivery is needed, which can present a major problem to the baby if it is born prematurely.

18 Feb 2020

Slightly increased risk of death for babies conceived by IVF

A new study published in the journal Fertility and Sterility in February 2020 reports a higher risk for mortality in children who were conceived by the in vitro fertilization (IVF) technique followed by freezing of the embryos, compared to those naturally conceived, but only in the first few weeks of life.

18 Feb 2020

England reports highest rates of mumps

Mumps is a contagious condition affecting the parotid glands. In some cases, mumps can lead to complications, especially in men, including sterility. Other serious complications of mumps include meningitis, encephalitis, and pancreatitis. There is a readily available vaccine against mumps, but despite this, there has been a sharp rise in mumps cases in England.

17 Feb 2020

A broken heart for Valentine’s Day turns to healing

A broken heart for Valentine's Day sounds like the plot of a romantic comedy. But for Rebekah Holl, a literal broken heart was her reality on Feb. 14, 2019.

16 Feb 2020