Pregnancy News and Research

Latest Pregnancy News and Research

LeadCheck Swabs not reliable

The quick, inexpensive test kits used by homeowners nationwide to detect lead-laced dust are prone to high error rates, according to a University of Rochester study.

1 Jun 2007

Young women in China too shy to ask for contraceptives

Young, single women in urban China are aware of contraceptive methods but some may be too shy to ask for them, research published in the online open access journal BMC Health Services Research reveals.

1 Jun 2007

Stress experienced by a woman during pregnancy may effect unborn child

Stress experienced by a woman during pregnancy may have an effect on her unborn child, most likely mediated by the transfer of stress hormones across the placenta.

1 Jun 2007

Research aims to improve health of women, children in developing countries

RTI International will continue research efforts to improve and prevent premature disease and death among women and children in developing countries as part of the Global Network for Women's and Children's Health Research.

1 Jun 2007

New animal model for Lassa fever

Scientists at the Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research have developed a new tool in the battle against a potential biological weapon, Lassa fever, which kills several thousand people each year and leaves thousands more with disabilities such as deafness and liver damage.

1 Jun 2007

New mothers often not asked about depression

The majority of doctors in North Carolina do not probe for signs of postpartum depression in new mothers, according to a survey conducted by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

1 Jun 2007

HIV and malaria combine to adversely affect pregnant women and their infants

University of Toronto researchers have uncovered the basis by which pregnant women protect themselves against malaria and have also discovered how the HIV virus works to counteract this defence.

30 May 2007

People may need more dietary choline than previously thought

A new study published in the May issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition indicates that the current recommended Adequate Intake (AI) for choline may, in fact, be inadequate for some people.

28 May 2007

FDA approves treatment for bacterial vaginosis

Mission Pharmacal has announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Tindamax (tinidazole) for the treatment of bacterial vaginosis (BV), the most common vaginal infection among women of childbearing age in the United States.

28 May 2007

Endogenous cannabinoids linked to fetal brain damage imposed by maternal cannabis use

A critical step in brain development is governed by endogenous cannabinoids, the brain's own marijuana.

28 May 2007

Maternal alcohol use during pregnancy contributes to substantial increase in risk for extreme preterm delivery

Preterm delivery, and particularly "extreme prematurity", defined as less than 32 weeks of gestation, are major contributors to perinatal sickness and death worldwide.

28 May 2007

Sheep offer model for undernourishment in pregnant teen girls

Two papers selected for publication in the August 2007 issue of Biology of Reproduction demonstrate that adolescent female sheep that become pregnant before they have achieved their full growth may not be able to supply enough nourishment for their fetuses to develop without physical deficits.

24 May 2007

Sleep apnea is associated with gestational diabetes mellitus and pregnancy-induced hypertension

Sleep apnea is associated with a greatly increased incidence of pregnancy-induced diabetes and high blood pressure, according to a study presented at the American Thoracic Society 2007 International Conference, on Wednesday, May 22.

24 May 2007

Minimally invasive device for treating recurrent stress urinary incontinence in women, safe and effective

A minimally invasive device for treating recurrent stress urinary incontinence in women has been shown to be safe and effective in early clinical trials and is now under review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), says Emory University School of Medicine urologist and trial co-principal investigator Niall Galloway, MD.

24 May 2007

Lubiprostone may improve symptom relief rates in adults with irritable bowel syndrome with constipation

A new study demonstrated that the active ingredient in AMITIZA (lubiprostone), given 8 mcg twice a day, may improve symptom relief rates in adults with irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C).

22 May 2007

The Medical Research Council welcomes FSA decision to add folic acid to flour

The Medical Research Council (MRC) has welcomed the Food Standards Agency’s (FSA) decision to recommend the mandatory fortification of flour with folic acid.

20 May 2007

Aspirin during pregnancy could reduce risk of pre-eclampsia

Women who receive aspirin or other antiplatelet drugs during pregnancy are at lower risk of pre-eclampsia, conclude authors of an article published in an upcoming edition of The Lancet.

20 May 2007

Celecoxib offers promise for premature babies

Scientists have found evidence that the cox-2 inhibitor celecoxib, a common pain reliever used to treat arthritis, may offer a new way to reduce the risk of the most common cause of brain damage in babies born prematurely.

18 May 2007

One kilogram higher birth weight associated with a 10-20% reduced risk of heart disease later in life

Dr Rachel Huxley, lead author of the paper and Acting Director of Nutrition and Lifestyle at The George Institute said, "Although there was support for a small association between birth weight and an individual's future risk of heart disease, the relationship is not as strong as earlier studies have suggested.

18 May 2007

Dramatic increase in Caesarean sections

The report, published in the prestigious international journal, the British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, found that the rise could not be explained by increases in clinical reasons for caesareans such as complications in pregnancy or labour/delivery and was more likely due to societal factors.

17 May 2007