Pregnancy News and Research

Latest Pregnancy News and Research

Mary Ann Liebert peer-reviewed journal publishes new clinical guidelines on hyperthyroidism

New clinical guidelines developed by an expert panel that include 100 evidence-based recommendations for optimal care of patients with hyperthyroidism and other causes of thyrotoxicosis are presented in the current issue of Thyroid, a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.

16 Jun 2011

State roundup: Mass. health spending's rise; huge Ky. hospital merger

A new report from the state Division of Health Care Finance and Policy shows that: ... "Spending per member on privately insured people grew 6 percent from 2007 to 2008 and another 10 percent from 2008 to 2009. This rate of growth was substantially higher than the increase in national personal health care expenditures per capita of 4.6 percent from 2008 to 2009. Spending by private payers also grew faster than spending by public payers".

16 Jun 2011

Simple and cheap Syphilis test could save the lives of millions of babies

Syphilis, a sexually transmitted disease that has been a taboo for decades, kills an estimated one million newborn and stillborn babies every year. However a simple test for every pregnant woman followed by antibiotics for those infected would stop the deaths.

16 Jun 2011

Women who make their sexual debut as young teens more likely to divorce

A University of Iowa study found that women who make their sexual debut as young teens are more likely to divorce, especially if "the first time" was unwanted, or if she had mixed feelings about it.

16 Jun 2011

High number of adverse patient safety events occur in doctors' offices

However, a high number of adverse events, including major injury and even death, occur in private physician offices and outpatient clinics as well. In a new study -- the first of its kind -- researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College found that the number and magnitude of events resulting from medical errors is surprisingly similar inside and outside hospital walls.

15 Jun 2011

Bariatric surgery may treat polycystic ovarian syndrome in women of child-bearing age

Obesity has been linked to infertility and now a new study shows bariatric surgery may treat its most common cause, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), a hormonal imbalance that affects up to 10 percent of women of child-bearing age -- 33 to 50 percent of whom are overweight or obese.

15 Jun 2011

New ultrasound technique can measure blood pressure at many points in the body

Researchers at Eindhoven University of Technology, together with the Italian company Esaote, have developed a new technique to measure the blood pressure.

15 Jun 2011

Poor maternal nutrition predisposes offspring to type 2 diabetes

A new study published by the American Physiological Society offers the strongest evidence yet that vulnerability to type 2 diabetes can begin in the womb, giving new insight into the mechanisms that underlie a potentially devastating disease at the center of a worldwide epidemic.

14 Jun 2011

GE Healthcare announces results of Optison heart ultrasound contrast agent presented at ASE

Today, GE Healthcare Medical Diagnostics announced results of a study that evaluated the cardiopulmonary safety of Optison- (Perflutren Protein-Type A Microspheres Injectable Suspension, USP), a diagnostic ultrasound contrast agent for use in improving suboptimal echocardiograms.

14 Jun 2011

Mother to donate her womb to daughter

A 56-year-old mother hopes to become the first woman to have her womb transplanted into her daughter. Eva Ottoson who lives in Nottinghamshire has agreed to take part in the medical procedure that would see her donate her uterus to her daughter.

13 Jun 2011

Severe sleep apnea increases risk of gestational diabetes and preterm birth in pregnant women

Sleep apnea is associated with an increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, suggests a research abstract that will be presented Monday, June 13, in Minneapolis, Minn., at SLEEP 2011, the 25th Anniversary Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies LLC (APSS).

13 Jun 2011

Government officials, civil society leaders and activists to combat child malnutrition

More than 350 high-level government officials, leaders of civil society organizations, and activists from around the world will convene in Washington, DC, on June 13 to build political momentum for nutrition efforts that will help save the lives of at least 1 million children annually.

13 Jun 2011

Secretary of State Clinton travels to sub-Saharan Africa

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is embarking on a weeklong trip to sub-Saharan Africa, CNN reports.

13 Jun 2011

GOP senators ask HHS to let Indiana cut Planned Parenthood funding

Twenty-eight Republican senators said Thursday that the Obama administration should not stop the state of Indiana from implementing a new law designed to cut off federal funding for Planned Parenthood. Earlier this month, the federal Medicaid agency denied Indiana's proposal to prevent state residents from using Medicaid at any entity that provides abortions.

10 Jun 2011

Antimullerian hormone test can help indicate number of eggs, pregnancy in women

Given how much patients invest in in vitro fertilization (IVF), both financially and emotionally, tools to inform couples about what they might expect during their treatment can be welcome. A study by researchers at Brown University and Women & Infants Hospital shows that as the IVF cycle is beginning, a blood test for levels of a hormone called AMH, or antimullerian hormone, can help predict the number of eggs that will be harvested.

10 Jun 2011

Tips for pregnant women during summer

Hot, humid and pregnant. Many women would call that a recipe for misery. But UAB obstetrician Kim Hoover, M.D., says there are real medical conditions that pregnant women should guard against to stay safe and healthy as the temperature rises.

10 Jun 2011

Global initiative to prevent HIV in babies

World leaders met to decide on the launch of a global plan with the goal of ensuring that every baby is born HIV-free by 2015 and that their mothers with the HIV virus live to raise them.

9 Jun 2011

Several state legislatures debate abortion restrictions

State legislatures around the country are looking at a variety of measures dealing with abortion.

9 Jun 2011

Women who receive intrauterine device after abortion less likely to have unintended pregnancy

Women who receive a contraceptive known as an intrauterine device or IUD immediately following a first trimester abortion experience few complications and are less likely to have an unintended pregnancy than those who delay getting an IUD by several weeks, according to a new study at Oregon Health & Science University.

9 Jun 2011

Survey reveals differences in weight-related counseling among medical specialties

Fewer than half of primary care physicians for adults talk to their patients about diet, exercise and weight management consistently, while pediatricians are somewhat more likely to do so, according to two new studies.

8 Jun 2011