Birth Weight News and Research

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World is currently facing a twin epidemic of obesity and type 2 diabetes in young people

The global rise in obesity and type 2 diabetes in children and adolescents has led to an urgent call for action by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF).

25 Jun 2004

Newborns are more susceptible to DNA damage from pollution than their mothers

New Study of New York City Residents Shows That Newborns are More Susceptible to DNA Damage from Pollution than Their Mothers.

24 Jun 2004

Exposure to excess hormones in the womb increases risk of heart disease and diabetes

Babies exposed to excess hormones in the womb are not only at increased risk of developing heart disease and diabetes in later life but can pass these risks to their children.

17 Jun 2004

Novel findings on treatments for childhood obesity and early polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in young girls

New research findings presented this week in New Orleans during ENDO 2004, the 86th Annual Meeting of The Endocrine Society, could help keep kids healthier.

16 Jun 2004

Obese women more likely to have pregnancy complications and caesarean sections than women of average weight

The controlled study is one of the largest ever to look at obesity in pregnancy, following more than 16,000 pregnant women at 14 medical centers across the country.

20 May 2004

Breastfeeding decreases risk of heart disease later in life

A recent UK study of 216 teenagers, published in the Lancet, found that breastfeeding in infancy is likely to reduce the risk of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease in later life.

14 May 2004

A mother-to-be who eats fish during the later stages of pregnancy is less likely to have a very small baby

However the latest research from the Children of the 90s project has shown no link between fish consumption and average birthweight once other factors have been taken into account. There was also no evidence of increased frequency of premature birth in mothers not eating fish.

13 May 2004

Pregnancy massage may reduce the risk of premature births

Pregnancy massage long has been known to help expectant mothers feel better, and a new study shows it may well provide an even more important benefit – reducing the risk of premature births.

5 May 2004

Survey reveals important information about pregnancy health

Sixty-four percent of Maryland mothers who completed a 2001 survey conducted by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH) reported one or more medical complications during pregnancy, and 20 percent of these women were hospitalized for one or more days.

5 May 2004

Breastfeeding helps against low weight infants and infection

A new study shows that human milk protects extremely low birth weight infants from developing sepsis -- an overwhelming infection and a leading cause of illness and death in these tiny babies.

1 May 2004

Pregnant women need to be aware of coffee and tea strength

A Food Standards Agency survey published today shows that out of the samples tested, a cup or mug of tea could contain from 1 to 90 milligrams (mg) of caffeine, and instant coffee from 21 to 120 mg. Brewed ground coffee ranged from 15 to 254 mg.

30 Apr 2004

Mothers who smoke increase the likelihood of daughters smoking 3 fold

The illusion of smoking can be just as deadly as the real thing for minority inner-city girls who believe their mothers have the habit, a new University of Florida study finds.

28 Apr 2004

Dental x-rays when pregnant linked to low birth weight

Research conducted at the University of Washington School of Dentistry shows that women who have dental X-rays during pregnancy are three times as likely to have a low-birth-weight, full-term baby as women who did not have diagnostic X-rays during pregnancy.

27 Apr 2004

Prediction of adult diseases in infancy

A new way of predicting which young children are most at risk of eventually contracting diabetes and heart disease in adult life is being developed by researchers at Cambridge University - with help from Bristol’s Children of the 90s.

22 Apr 2004

£60 million boost for pregnant mums to reduce child poverty

Public Health Minister, Yvette Cooper, will today announce a £60 million boost to tackle child poverty in low income areas even before children are born. The money will extend Sure Start programmes to cover pregnant women and their partners for the first time alongside families with children under four-years-old.

16 Apr 2004

Obese mothers increase likelihood of pre-eclampsia

A research team from the University of Glasgow has been awarded nearly £129, 000 by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) to investigate the cause of pre-eclampsia (PE), a condition that kills nearly 600 babies in the UK each year.

14 Apr 2004

WHO says more pregnant women getting antenatal care

The number of pregnant women in developing countries receiving antenatal care during pregnancy has increased significantly since 1990, signalling that an untapped opportunity exists to reach poor women with a whole package of life-saving health services, according to a joint report issued today by UNICEF and the World Health Organization.

30 Mar 2004

Ban Chlorpyrifos and Diazinonon Impacts Child Birth Weights

A federal ban on two insecticides has resulted in a significant reduction in their impact on newborns' birth weight and length, according to a new study funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences of the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and other private foundations.

23 Mar 2004