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Major breakthrough in IVF treatment

Elsevier, a world-leading provider of scientific, technical and medical information products and services, today announced the publication of a recent study in Reproductive BioMedicine Online on 5-day old human blastocysts showing that those with an abnormal chromosomal composition can be identified by the rate at which they have developed to blastocysts, thereby classifying the risk of genetic abnormality without a biopsy. [More]

Preclinical study shows PLX cells may help reverse symptoms associated with preeclampsia

Could the answer to repairing the ailing placenta in preeclampsia lie within the stem cells of a healthy placenta? New promising evidence may lead scientists to answer that question. [More]

Nutritional supplement may improve survival rates of babies born with heart defects

A common nutritional supplement may be part of the magic in improving the survival rates of babies born with heart defects, researchers report. Carnitine, a compound that helps transport fat inside the cell powerhouse where it can be used for energy production, is currently used for purposes ranging from weight loss to chest pain. [More]
Adrenomedullin plays a crucial role in preventing preeclampsia

Adrenomedullin plays a crucial role in preventing preeclampsia

In a study using mice, researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill found that a hormone, adrenomedullin, plays a crucial role in preventing the pregnancy complication preeclampsia. [More]

Study finds link between bigger birth weight babies and risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder

The biggest study of fetal growth and autism to date has reported that babies whose growth is at either extreme in the womb, either very big or very small, are at greater risk of developing autism. [More]

Abnormal placental folds help identify autism risk in newborns

Researchers at the Yale School of Medicine have figured out how to measure an infant's risk of developing autism by looking for abnormalities in his/her placenta at birth, allowing for earlier diagnosis and treatment for the developmental disorder. [More]
Research shows respiratory syncytial virus can be transferred during pregnancy to unborn baby

Research shows respiratory syncytial virus can be transferred during pregnancy to unborn baby

The most common cause of lower respiratory tract infections in infants and young children, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), can be transferred during pregnancy to an unborn baby, according to Cleveland Clinic Children's Hospital research published online this week in the journal PLOS ONE. [More]
Researchers shed new light on role of methylation in gene expression

Researchers shed new light on role of methylation in gene expression

Researchers at UC Davis and the University of British Columbia have shed new light on methylation, a critical process that helps control how genes are expressed. [More]

Johns Hopkins undergraduates develop Cooling Cure to protect newborn from brain damage

When babies are deprived of oxygen before birth, brain damage and disorders such as cerebral palsy can occur. Extended cooling can prevent brain injuries, but this treatment is not always available in developing nations where advanced medical care is scarce. [More]
Multipotent stem cells in deer antler may have regenerative uses in veterinary medicine

Multipotent stem cells in deer antler may have regenerative uses in veterinary medicine

A team of researchers in Seoul, Korea have reported finding evidence that deer antlers - unique in that they regenerate annually - contain multipotent stem cells that could be useful for tissue regeneration in veterinary medicine. [More]

Scientist awarded $1.2M grant to develop therapy to reduce premature births

A scientist at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine has been awarded a $1.2 million grant to develop a therapy to reduce the prevalence of premature births, which today affect more than 15 million newborns worldwide each year. [More]
Cell fusion studies at Johns Hopkins could lead to improved treatments for muscular dystrophy

Cell fusion studies at Johns Hopkins could lead to improved treatments for muscular dystrophy

Researchers at Johns Hopkins have established a high-efficiency cell-cell fusion system, providing a new model to study how fusion works. The scientists showed that fusion between two cells is not equal and mutual as some assumed, but, rather, is initiated and driven by one of the fusion partners. The discovery, they say, could lead to improved treatments for muscular dystrophy, since muscle regeneration relies on cell fusion to make muscle fibers that contain hundreds or even thousands of nuclei. [More]
Link between family support in pregnancy and reduced postpartum depression symptoms

Link between family support in pregnancy and reduced postpartum depression symptoms

Women who receive strong social support from their families during pregnancy appear to be protected from sharp increases in a particular stress hormone, making them less likely to experience depression after giving birth, a new study by UCLA life scientists indicates. [More]
Women with pre-pregnancy BMI of 40 have increased risk of C-section

Women with pre-pregnancy BMI of 40 have increased risk of C-section

Researchers from Norway found that women with a pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) of 40 had an increased risk of vacuum extraction delivery or Cesarean section (C-section). [More]
Study: Women receiving social support during pregnancy less likely to develop postpartum depression

Study: Women receiving social support during pregnancy less likely to develop postpartum depression

Women who receive strong social support from their families during pregnancy appear to be protected from sharp increases in a particular stress hormone, making them less likely to develop postpartum depression, according to a new study published in Clinical Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. [More]
Five scientists aim to make strides in predicting and preventing preterm birth

Five scientists aim to make strides in predicting and preventing preterm birth

Five researchers from four states are investigating how genetics and infections interact to cause preterm birth as well as how proteins and hormones regulate a healthy pregnancy, all with the goal of giving more babies a healthy start in life, the March of Dimes announced today. [More]

Study finds major risk factor behind increased risk of adverse outcomes in IVF pregnancies

Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) researchers have identified what may be a major factor behind the increased risk of two adverse outcomes in pregnancies conceived through in vitro fertilization (IVF). [More]
Blocking C5a protein prevents low birth weight in babies born to pregnant women with malaria

Blocking C5a protein prevents low birth weight in babies born to pregnant women with malaria

An international team of tropical medicine researchers have discovered a potential method for preventing low birth weight in babies born to pregnant women who are exposed to malaria. Low birth weight is the leading cause of infant death globally. [More]
Second trimester HG demands vigilance

Second trimester HG demands vigilance

Women who experience hyperemesis gravidarum during the second trimester have an increased risk for certain birth complications associated with placental abruption, study results show. [More]

Study shows how placental circulation can influence malarial parasite behavior and infection

Malaria in pregnancy causes a range of adverse effects, including abortions, stillbirths, premature delivery and low infant birth weight. Many of these effects are thought to derive from a placental inflammatory response resulting from interaction of infected red blood cells with the placental tissue. [More]