Placenta News and Research

RSS

Genome haplarithmisis sheds light on complex genetic landscape of miscarriages

A new study published in Nature Medicine reports on a chromosomal analysis of over 1,700 spontaneous early miscarriages.

27 Nov 2023

Maternal exercise shapes early yolk sac growth, varies with baby's sex

This study in Scientific Reports reveals that maternal physical activity impacts yolk sac development in early pregnancy, with effects varying based on gestational age and the sex of the embryo, underscoring the nuanced relationship between maternal behavior and embryonic growth.

23 Nov 2023

Prenatal cannabis exposure increases risk of adverse birth outcomes, study finds

Infants prenatally exposed to cannabis are more likely to be born preterm, have a low birth weight, and require neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) care than infants without prenatal cannabis exposure, according to a study published today in the scientific journal Addiction.

16 Nov 2023

Delaying cord clamping could save lives of premature babies

Waiting for two minutes or longer to clamp the umbilical cord of a premature baby soon after birth could help reduce the risk of death, compared with immediately clamping the umbilical cord, or waiting a shorter time before doing so.

14 Nov 2023

Delaying umbilical cord clamping of premature babies likely reduces the risk of death soon after birth

Waiting for two minutes or longer to clamp the umbilical cord of a premature baby likely reduces the risk of death soon after birth, compared with immediately clamping the cord or waiting a shorter time, according to two companion systematic reviews and meta-analyses published in The Lancet.

14 Nov 2023

New triage system for pregnant women and new mothers improves patient outcomes

Increased vigilance for high blood pressure and diffuse stomach pain. These are some of the characteristics of emergency care adapted for pregnant women and new mothers.

14 Nov 2023

Placental inflammation's role in adult depression and heart disease

An expression signature related to inflammation expressed in Hofbauer cells in the placenta, calculating polygenic risk scores to predict its expression.

14 Nov 2023

Fluoride exposure in drinking water linked to cognitive deficits in children

Long-term consumption of water with fluoride levels far above established drinking water standards may be linked to cognitive impairments in children, according to a new pilot study from Tulane University.

26 Oct 2023

From Mount Everest to your liver: The alarming reach of 'forever chemicals' in our environment and health

Research paper provides a comprehensive review of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), exploring their environmental prevalence, human exposure risks, and liver toxicity. The study highlights urgent gaps in PFAS research and calls for more studies to better understand these 'forever chemicals' and their impact on human health.

26 Oct 2023

Zika virus exposure during pregnancy slows fetal growth and affects mother-infant interaction

Zika virus infection in pregnant rhesus macaques slows fetal growth and affects how infants and mothers interact in the first month of life, according to a new study from researchers at the California National Primate Research Center at the University of California, Davis.

25 Oct 2023

Cockroaches provide clues to understanding immune system during pregnancy

Researchers are studying the dramatic physical transformation that some insects undergo to give birth to live young.

20 Oct 2023

New study links prenatal chemical exposure to childhood obesity trajectories

Connections between prenatal exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals and the growth patterns of children's BMI.

20 Oct 2023

Pregnant and addicted: Homeless women see hope in street medicine

Five days after giving birth, Melissa Crespo was already back on the streets, recovering in a damp, litter-strewn water tunnel, when she got the call from the hospital.

18 Oct 2023

Paxlovid treatment provides protection against COVID-19 for both mother and child

A new mouse model of infection with the COVID-19-causing SARS-CoV-2 virus during pregnancy tracks closely the disease course doctors have observed in SARS-CoV-2-infected pregnant patients, and suggests that treatment with the antiviral Paxlovid provides protection for both mother and child.

16 Oct 2023

Two simple solutions could help prevent postpartum hemorrhage

Two simple solutions could help prevent severe bleeding (postpartum hemorrhage) after cesarean delivery, suggests research presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY® 2023 annual meeting.

15 Oct 2023

Yale researchers uncover key role of protein CXCR4 in pregnancy

Immune cells play a key role during pregnancy, adjusting immune system response in a way that enables the fetus to develop while also protecting the parent and fetus from outside assaults like viruses.

10 Oct 2023

Pre-existing CMV immunity protects mothers and babies from transmission and birth defects

Researchers at Tulane University have shown for the first time that mothers are much less likely to transmit a common virus known to cause miscarriages and birth defects if they are exposed to the virus prior to becoming pregnant.

6 Oct 2023

Genetics linked to placental growth and risk of preeclampsia

New research has shed light on how genetics influences the growth of the placenta, revealing a link to risk of disease in the mother.

5 Oct 2023

Early metformin therapy falls short in curbing gestational diabetes woes

In a significant randomized clinical trial, early metformin therapy was tested for its potential to lessen insulin dependence and enhance glycemic control in gestational diabetes-afflicted pregnant women; however, it yielded no improvements in diabetes symptoms. While metformin reduced maternal weight gain, its effects on primary diabetes symptoms and other secondary outcomes like infant weight gain were mixed, indicating a need for further focused research to unravel these associations.

4 Oct 2023

Researchers discover how Zika virus persists in the placenta

Before SARS-CoV-2 and the COVID-19 pandemic, there was the Zika virus epidemic, lasting from 2015 to 2016. The Zika virus can cause serious birth defects and abnormalities.

26 Sep 2023