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Prenatal air pollution exposure tied to higher autism risk in children

A population-based study of over two million births in Ontario found that prenatal exposure to the sulfate and ammonium components of fine particulate matter (PM₂.₅) was associated with a higher risk of autism spectrum disorder. The risk was greatest during mid to late pregnancy and among infants in urban, lower-income neighborhoods.

26 Oct 2025

Researchers reveal how maternal stress reshapes fetal growth and brain development

Maternal stress, encompassing physical, emotional, and psychological distress, remains a widespread yet underestimated risk during pregnancy.

24 Oct 2025

Updated guidelines published for pediatric CPR and emergency cardiovascular care

The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Heart Association (the Association), a relentless force changing the future of health for everyone everywhere, have published updated guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and emergency cardiovascular care for newborn and pediatric populations.

24 Oct 2025

Tracking daily blood pressure in pregnancy could predict low birth weight sooner

Early-pregnancy home blood pressure patterns reveal that even small cumulative elevations, not just high averages, raise the risk of low birth weight. Tracking daily readings above thresholds may improve early warning and maternal–fetal outcomes.

21 Oct 2025

Using placental growth factor to predict preeclampsia risk in pregnant women with sickle cell disease

In pregnant women with sickle cell disease, the risk of developing early-onset preeclampsia can be determined by measuring levels of a protein associated with placental function and development.

21 Oct 2025

Why the first 1,000 days matter most in preventing childhood obesity

The EndObesity Consortium’s narrative review underscores that most childhood obesity risks emerge in the first 1,000 days, well before birth, highlighting gaps in parental, social, and policy interventions. Effective prevention demands preconception-focused, family-wide, and system-level strategies built on equitable public health frameworks.

20 Oct 2025

Prenatal air pollution exposure may slow newborn brain development

The study shows prenatal air pollution exposure correlates with slower brain myelination in infants, emphasizing the need for improved air quality policies.

20 Oct 2025

Preexisting hyperlipidemia in pregnancy linked to obstetric and early heart risks

Preexisting hyperlipidemia in pregnancy is associated with heightened risks of obstetric complications and early cardiovascular events in the first five-years postpartum, according to a new study being presented at ACC's Cardio-Obstetrics Essentials: Team-Based Management of Cardiovascular Disease and Pregnancy conference.

17 Oct 2025

Maternal exposure to PM2.5 during pregnancy linked to lower myelination in newborns' brains

A study published in Environment International concludes that air pollution during pregnancy is associated with slower brain maturation in newborns.

16 Oct 2025

Debunking myths about safe childbirth in the 40s

While delaying motherhood is a growing national trend, a new Orlando Health survey reveals a widespread public misconception. Over half of Americans (54%) believe women cannot give birth safely in their 40s.

15 Oct 2025

Ketogenic diet protects young rats from effects of prenatal stress

Researchers have shown that young rats fed a ketogenic diet – a diet with high fat and low carbohydrates – are protected from the lasting experience of pre-natal stress.

12 Oct 2025

How much caffeine is safe during pregnancy? New review finds no clear threshold

Caffeine's impact on pregnancy is nuanced; moderate consumption may not lead to major complications, but risks to fetal growth persist without a safe threshold.

10 Oct 2025

Depression during pregnancy raises risk of gestational diabetes

Findings indicate that antenatal depression increases the risk of gestational diabetes, underscoring the need for early intervention and lifestyle support.

8 Oct 2025

Zika virus exposure during pregnancy permanently shapes offspring's frontline immune cells

A Wayne State University study published in the Oct. 3, 2025, issue of Nature Communications revealed that Zika virus exposure during pregnancy causes long-term, sex-specific changes to a baby's immune system, particularly affecting the frontline immune cells that fight infection.

6 Oct 2025

Influenza infection in pregnant mice linked to fetal brain exposure

A new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign shows, for the first time, that severe flu infection in pregnant mice leads to a breakdown in placental and brain barriers, leading to the accumulation of potentially harmful molecules in the fetal brain.

24 Sep 2025

Lifespan study reveals age-specific biological changes in Down Syndrome

In a groundbreaking new study published in Nature Communications, researchers from the Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome (Crnic Institute) at the University of Colorado Anschutz discovered important differences in the physiological changes observed in over 300 individuals with Down syndrome across the lifespan.

24 Sep 2025

How DNA methylation changes during brain development influence autism and schizophrenia

Researchers at the University of Exeter have created a detailed temporal map of chemical changes to DNA through development and aging of the human brain, offering new insights into how conditions such as autism and schizophrenia may arise.

24 Sep 2025

Trump claims ‘no downside’ to avoiding Tylenol during pregnancy. He’s wrong.

Obstetricians have long advised their pregnant patients that Tylenol is the safest option to reduce fever or pain. President Donald Trump stood before a national audience on Sept. 22 and contradicted that.

24 Sep 2025

‘Sick to my stomach’: Trump distorts facts on autism, tylenol, and vaccines, scientists say

Ann Bauer, a researcher who studies Tylenol and autism, felt queasy with anxiety in the weeks leading up to the White House's much-anticipated autism announcement.

22 Sep 2025

Inflammatory cells drive lung underdevelopment in congenital diaphragmatic hernia

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is a dangerous malformation of the lungs and diaphragm that causes almost a third of affected babies to die from underdeveloped lungs. So far, there have been no concrete options for treating this malformation with medication.

22 Sep 2025

Prenatal News and Research

Prenatal air pollution exposure tied to higher autism risk in children

Researchers reveal how maternal stress reshapes fetal growth and brain development

Updated guidelines published for pediatric CPR and emergency cardiovascular care

Tracking daily blood pressure in pregnancy could predict low birth weight sooner

Using placental growth factor to predict preeclampsia risk in pregnant women with sickle cell disease

Why the first 1,000 days matter most in preventing childhood obesity

Prenatal air pollution exposure may slow newborn brain development

Preexisting hyperlipidemia in pregnancy linked to obstetric and early heart risks

Maternal exposure to PM2.5 during pregnancy linked to lower myelination in newborns' brains

Debunking myths about safe childbirth in the 40s

Ketogenic diet protects young rats from effects of prenatal stress

How much caffeine is safe during pregnancy? New review finds no clear threshold

Depression during pregnancy raises risk of gestational diabetes

Zika virus exposure during pregnancy permanently shapes offspring's frontline immune cells

Influenza infection in pregnant mice linked to fetal brain exposure

Lifespan study reveals age-specific biological changes in Down Syndrome

How DNA methylation changes during brain development influence autism and schizophrenia

Trump claims ‘no downside’ to avoiding Tylenol during pregnancy. He’s wrong.

‘Sick to my stomach’: Trump distorts facts on autism, tylenol, and vaccines, scientists say

Inflammatory cells drive lung underdevelopment in congenital diaphragmatic hernia

Bringing real-time analytics to downstream bioprocess monitoring

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

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