In Utero News and Research

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Researchers explore potential exposure to microbial agents in-utero

The human fetal immune system begins to develop early during gestation, however, factors responsible for fetal immune-priming remain elusive.

16 Jun 2021

Prenatal exposure to air pollutants may increase infants' obesity risk

Women exposed to higher levels of air pollution during pregnancy have babies who grow unusually fast in the first months after birth, putting on excess fat that puts them at risk of obesity and related diseases later in life, new CU Boulder research shows.

15 Jun 2021

UCSF launches new initiative to propel the development of living therapeutics

UC San Francisco is launching a new initiative to propel the development of living therapeutics - a category of treatments broadly defined as human and microbial living cells that are selected, modified, or engineered to treat or cure disease - and bring them quickly to patients.

14 Jun 2021

Childhood stress associated with early emergence of permanent molars

Early in her career neuroscientist Allyson Mackey began thinking about molars. As a researcher who studies brain development, she wanted to know whether when these teeth arrived might indicate early maturation in children.

9 Jun 2021

Restoring gut microbes can improve antibiotic-induced dysbiosis and prevent colitis in mice

A new study at the University of Chicago has determined that restoring a single microbial species -- Bacteroides sp. CL1-UC (Bc) -- to the gut microbiome at a key developmental timepoint can prevent antibiotic-induced colitis in a mouse model of the condition.

7 Jun 2021

Impact of maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection on neonatal immunology

Although extensive studies have been carried out on severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and evidence exists that pregnant women are at elevated risk of severe COVID-19, the impact of maternal infection on the fetus is not clear. The majority of pregnant women infected with SARS-CoV-2 are asymptomatic or experience mild symptoms.

7 Jun 2021

Maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection imprints immune response in the newborn

A new bioRxiv* preprint reports the immunological footprint in the newborn left by maternal infection with SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy.

4 Jun 2021

Researchers develop proof-of-concept treatment for blood disorders

Researchers at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) have developed a proof-of-concept treatment for blood disorders like sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia that could raise hemoglobin levels by activating production of both fetal and adult hemoglobin.

1 Jun 2021

Researchers identify new way to improve the diagnosis of fetal heart defects

UC San Francisco researchers have found a way to double doctors' accuracy in detecting the vast majority of complex fetal heart defects in utero - when interventions could either correct them or greatly improve a child's chance of survival - by combining routine ultrasound imaging with machine-learning computer tools.

27 May 2021

Prenatal exposure to air pollution can cause asthma in children

Women who were highly exposed to ultra-fine particles in air pollution during their pregnancy were more likely to have children who developed asthma, according to a study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine in May.

21 May 2021

Study shows how human bodies develop from a single cell

New insights into how our bodies come into being from a single cell have been generated by researchers at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, the Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute and the University of Cambridge.

21 May 2021

Tobacco smoke exposure in utero and during early childhood can affect children's lung function

Environmental tobacco smoke exposure in utero and during early childhood-;especially secondhand smoke-;is associated with decreased childhood lung function, according to research presented at the ATS 2021 International Conference.

20 May 2021

Secondhand smoke during pregnancy linked to epigenetic changes in babies

Nearly a quarter of pregnant women say they've been around secondhand smoke - in their homes, at work, around a friend or relative - which, according to new research.

19 May 2021

Study provides an overview of neonatal withdrawal signs following late in utero exposure to SSRIs

Neonatal withdrawal signs have been documented in newborns of mothers treated with antidepressants and are known as a cause of neonatal morbidity.

19 May 2021

No placental damage observed in case study of pregnant women with mRNA COVID-19 vaccinations

New research by a team at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, USA, suggests that the COVID-19 vaccine does not damage the placenta and may be safe to use during pregnancy.

13 May 2021

New study shows that COVID-19 vaccines are safe in pregnancy

A new Northwestern Medicine study of placentas from patients who received the COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy found no evidence of injury, adding to the growing literature that COVID-19 vaccines are safe in pregnancy.

12 May 2021

Using ultrasound and RNA-loaded nanoparticles to deliver potent medicine to brain tumors

RNA-based drugs have the potential to change the standard of care for many diseases, making personalized medicine a reality. This rapidly expanding class of therapeutics are cost-effective, fairly easy to manufacture, and able to go where no drug has gone before, reaching previously undruggable pathways.

7 May 2021

3D-printed fetus models allow surgeons to identify potential obstacles, reduce risks of surgery

A state-of-the-art in-utero procedure allows surgeons to correct a birth defect on developing babies inside the womb. But operating on a mother and her unborn child at the same time can be challenging and unpredictable.

7 May 2021

PAS 2021: Plenary session on prenatal environmental contaminants and childhood disease

A state of the art plenary session during the Pediatric Academic Societies 2021 Virtual Meeting discussed prenatal environmental contaminants and childhood disease, and the latest evidence for epigenetic mechanisms associated with transgenerational disease and public policy implications.

5 May 2021

Prenatal exposure to tobacco smoke and pollution associated with child behavioral problems

A pregnant woman's exposure to tobacco smoke and pollution from road traffic can influence the development of behavioral outcomes in early childhood.

27 Apr 2021