In Utero News and Research

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Understanding the role of genetic variants in male infertility

Approximately one in seven couples face difficulties conceiving a child naturally. Half of these cases are due to male infertility – either caused by the complete absence or low number of mature sperm.

13 Apr 2024

Maternal influences on food allergy prevention: A closer look at diet and environment

Review assesses how maternal diet and environmental factors during pregnancy influence the prevention of food allergies in offspring, underlining the importance of a balanced diet and questioning the efficacy of allergen avoidance.

9 Apr 2024

Study explores how cannabis use affects breast milk and lactation

Study reviews the impact of cannabis use during pregnancy and lactation, highlighting potential changes in breast milk composition and lactation due to cannabinoid effects.

3 Apr 2024

Punitive prenatal drug laws lead to negative health outcomes

Contrary to some claims, laws that criminalize or otherwise punish drug use during pregnancy are more likely to worsen rather than improve health outcomes, according to a paper by researchers at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.

18 Mar 2024

Dietary intake post-birth triggers hepatocyte specialization

In mammals, the liver detects the body's energy demand at any given moment and mobilizes nutrient reserves to meet it.

18 Mar 2024

UCSF scientists discover less invasive prenatal treatment for Angelman syndrome

In a discovery that opens the door to a less invasive way of treating some serious disorders before birth, UC San Francisco scientists have found that delivering medicine through amniotic fluid is as effective as delivering it to the fetal brain via cerebrospinal fluid.

4 Mar 2024

Oxygenation in the placenta predicts childhood brain growth

A new study shows oxygenation levels in the placenta, formed during the last three months of fetal development, are an important predictor of cortical growth (development of the outermost layer of the brain or cerebral cortex) and is likely a predictor of childhood cognition and behavior.

27 Feb 2024

Promising new CMV vaccine shows stronger immune response

An experimental mRNA vaccine against human cytomegalovirus (CMV), a common virus that can infect babies during pregnancy, elicited some of the most promising immune responses to date of any CMV vaccine candidate, according to a study by Weill Cornell Medicine investigators.

12 Feb 2024

COVID-19 may increase risk of pregnancy complications through placental DNA changes

DNA changes consistent with life-threatening pregnancy complications have been found in the placentas of pregnant women infected by COVID-19, according to University of Queensland researchers.

8 Feb 2024

Experimental mRNA vaccine against CMV elicits promising immune responses

7 Feb 2024

Study finds links between prenatal substance exposure and childhood mental health

An observational study found links between prenatal substance exposure and mental health in children 10–12, but also found that controlling for environment and genetics eliminated many associations.

31 Jan 2024

Study confirms safety of COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy for infant neurodevelopment

A large cohort study in "JAMA Pediatrics" found no significant differences in neurodevelopmental rates between infants exposed to COVID-19 vaccines in-utero and those who were not, affirming the safety of maternal COVID-19 vaccination.

24 Jan 2024

Researchers unravel the workings of Group B Strep infections in pregnant women

Researchers from Binghamton University, State University of New York are unraveling the workings of Group B Strep (GBS) infections in pregnant women, which could someday lead to a vaccine.

9 Jan 2024

In utero exposure to PFAS affects the unborn child, study suggests

PFAS are chemicals that may cause cancer, diabetes, and other diseases. Research from örebro University now suggests that these chemicals affect people as early as the fetal stage of development.

9 Jan 2024

YAP and TAZ proteins guide bone development in the womb

A pair of proteins, YAP and TAZ, has been identified as conductors of bone development in the womb and could provide insight into genetic diseases such as osteogenesis imperfecta, known commonly as "brittle bone disease."

4 Jan 2024

How a malaria drug may hold the key to ending malnutrition's cycle of devastation

Wars, drought, displacement, and instability are causing a dramatic increase in the number of pregnant and breastfeeding women around the world who suffer from malnutrition.

20 Dec 2023

Maternal microbiome's pivotal role in shaping fetal and neonatal immune systems during pregnancy

Review in Nature Reviews Gastroenterology and Hepatology explores how the maternal microbiome during pregnancy influences the immune systems of the mother, fetus, and neonate, highlighting its impact on long-term health outcomes and the development of pregnancy complications.

18 Dec 2023

Is maternal cannabis exposure associated with increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes related to placental function?

Researchers assessed the relationship between maternal cannabis use and adverse pregnancy outcomes linked to placental function.

13 Dec 2023

Placental microparticles and their potential to predict and prevent neurodevelopmental disorders

For 30 years, Cheryl Rosenfeld has studied how biological information gets transferred from mothers to babies during pregnancy.

5 Dec 2023

COVID-19 in pregnancy tied to higher preterm birth risk; early vaccine adoption shows protective effect

The impact of maternal coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection on infant health.

29 Nov 2023