Amniotic Fluid News and Research

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Zika virus can cross the placental barrier, according to new study

A study of pregnant women in Brazil has confirmed the presence of Zika virus in the amniotic fluid of two women who had displayed Zika-like symptoms during their pregnancies.

18 Feb 2016

MiMedx Group agrees to buy Stability Biologics

MiMedx Group, Inc., the leading regenerative medicine company utilizing human amniotic tissue and patent-protected processes to develop and market advanced products and therapies for the Wound Care, Surgical, Orthopedic, Spine, Sports Medicine, Ophthalmic, and Dental sectors of healthcare, announced today that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Stability Inc., d/b/a Stability Biologics, a provider of human tissue products to surgeons, facilities and distributors serving the surgical, spine and orthopedics sectors of the healthcare industry.

11 Jan 2016

Testing amniotic fluid could guide doctors to make delivery planning decisions for preterm births

Analyzing gene expression of an expectant mother's amniotic fluid could give doctors an important tool for deciding when it is safe to deliver premature babies.

28 Oct 2015

UTMB researchers find mechanisms to determine when pregnant women go into labor

During the last few weeks of a woman's pregnancy, many keep an overnight bag ready to go at a moment's notice in case they begin to go into labor. They do this because there is no clear signal that labor is about to begin - before the body makes it abundantly clear that this process has started. Understanding the mechanisms that initiate this process is especially important when treating women at risk of going into labor early.

27 Oct 2015

UT Southwestern researchers identify two proteins within fetal lungs that initiate labor process

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have identified two proteins in a fetus' lungs responsible for initiating the labor process, providing potential new targets for preventing preterm birth.

23 Jun 2015

Specific bacterial community in female genital tract induces inflammation, increases HIV risk

A team led by researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital and the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard has found that the most common bacterial community in the genital tract among healthy South Africa women not only is significantly different from that of women in developed countries but also leads to elevated levels of inflammatory proteins.

20 May 2015

Non-coding RNAs in maternal food can pass through placenta to regulate fetal gene expression

In a new study published in the Protein & Cell, Chen-Yu Zhang's group at Nanjing University reports that small non-coding RNAs in maternal food can transfer through placenta to regulate fetal gene expression.

14 May 2015

Amniotic stem cells promote growth of functional blood vessels in healing hydrogels

Rice University and Texas Children's Hospital scientists are using stem cells from amniotic fluid to promote the growth of robust, functional blood vessels in healing hydrogels.

10 Apr 2015

New microarray-based tool provides fast, reliable assessment of vaginal health

A new microarray-based tool, called VaginArray, offers the potential to provide a fast, reliable and low-cost assessment of vaginal health and diagnoses of infections. The research is published ahead of print March 2, in Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, a journal of the American Society for Microbiology.

19 Mar 2015

Maternal exposure to flame-retardants may contribute to preterm births

Researchers at The University of Texas Medical Branch have determined that maternal exposure to high levels of flame-retardants may be a contributing factor in preterm births.

28 Jan 2015

Medical co-morbidities associated with direct maternal deaths in the UK

Medical co-morbidities, when women have one or more medical conditions, are found to be an important factor associated with direct maternal deaths, suggests a new study published today (9 January) in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (BJOG).

14 Jan 2015

Obstetric care during Ebola epidemic are deeply challenging

Obstetric interventions during an Ebola epidemic are deeply challenging say two new commentaries published today (14 January) in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (BJOG).

13 Jan 2015

Researchers develop mouse model that reproduces most typical features of Noonan syndrome

Noonan syndrome is a rare disease that is characterised by a set of pathologies, including heart, facial and skeletal alterations, pulmonary stenosis, short stature, and a greater incidence of haematological problems (mainly juvenile myeloid leukaemia, or childhood leukaemia).

6 Nov 2014

CHLA physician discusses urological issues in children

Children's Hospital Los Angeles physician-scientist Roger E. De Filippo, MD, an associate professor of urology and director of Pediatric Urology Stem Cell Research at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California discusses how science, technology and parental care can lead to improved pediatric urological health.

21 Oct 2014

Exposure to elevated levels of steroid hormones in the womb linked to later development of autism

Scientists from the University of Cambridge and the Statens Serum Institute in Copenhagen, Denmark have discovered that children who later develop autism are exposed to elevated levels of steroid hormones (for example testosterone, progesterone and cortisol) in the womb. The finding may help explain why autism is more common in males than females, but should not be used to screen for the condition.

3 Jun 2014

New approach to detect chromosomal abnormalities without harm to mother or fetus

Chromosomal abnormalities that result in birth defects and genetic disorders like Down syndrome remain a significant health burden in the United States and throughout the world, with some current prenatal screening procedures invasive and a potential risk to mother and unborn child.

7 May 2014

Managing pregnancy-related complications: an interview with Dr. Mark Zakowski

Pregnancy-related mortality has increased over the last 25 years. Ten years ago the top three pregnancy-related mortality diagnoses were hemorrhage, preeclampsia, and embolism (includes thrombotic and amniotic).

2 Apr 2014

Sea lions exposed to toxin in algae develop form of epilepsy that is similar to humans

California sea lions exposed to a toxin in algae develop a form of epilepsy that is similar to one in humans, according to a new study led by Stanford University School of Medicine researchers.

19 Mar 2014

Cardiac arrest during childbirth may be 2 times more common than previously reported

Although cardiac arrest during childbirth is rare, it may be two times more common than previously reported in the literature, suggests the first large U.S. study on the potentially deadly condition published in the April issue of Anesthesiology.