Obstetrics News and Research

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Gynecology and obstetrics are twin subjects that deal with the female reproductive system. While obstetrics deals with pregnancy and its associated procedures and complications, gynaecology involves treating women who are not pregnant.

Breast feeding information collected by WIC verified through telephonic survey

While medical professionals have long known breastfeeding positively impacts infant and maternal health, few effective tools are available to measure breastfeeding practices nationally. According to a new study, one preexisting government-funded program is a potential wealth of accurate data about the breastfeeding practices of low-income mothers. This study was published in a recent issue of the Journal of Human Lactation.

23 Feb 2012

DANSR/FORTE assay more effective in diagnosing Edwards and Down syndrome

Using a noninvasive test on maternal blood that deploys a novel biochemical assay and a new algorithm for analysis, scientists can detect, with a high degree of accuracy, the risk that a fetus has the chromosomal abnormalities that cause Down syndrome and a genetic disorder known as Edwards syndrome.

22 Feb 2012

MIEMSS re-designates JHH as a Level IIIC Perinatal Referral Center for Maryland

The Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS), an independent state agency responsible for overseeing and coordinating all emergency medical services throughout the state, has re-designated The Johns Hopkins Hospital (JHH) as a Level IIIC Perinatal Referral Center for Maryland.

18 Feb 2012

Study examines mercury exposure in pregnant women

A new study published by researchers at SUNY Downstate Medical Center's School of Public Health assesses mercury levels in pregnant women and examines dietary and environmental sources of exposure to mercury. The research, which focuses on an urban immigrant community, examined risk factors that may be associated with elevated mercury levels, measured through urine and cord blood samples.

18 Feb 2012

Standardization may improve Canada's ranking in international child health indexes

Canada's ranking in international child health indexes would dramatically improve if measurements were standardized, according to a new study by researchers from the University of British Columbia, Dalhousie University, McGill University, the University of Calgary, and the Public Health Agency of Canada, working with the Canadian Perinatal Surveillance System and funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).

17 Feb 2012

Canadian study quantifies effects of safe water, sanitation on health for first time

"In a study of 193 countries to be released Thursday, Canadian-based researchers say they've been able to quantify -- for the first time -- how safe water and public sanitation efforts affect health when factoring out other variables such as a nation's wealth, fertility or location," USA Today's "Your Life" reports.

17 Feb 2012

New devices could hold key to predicting premature births

Scientists and doctors in Sheffield are developing two novel devices that they say could lead to the improved prediction of premature births.

16 Feb 2012

Thrombocytosis linked to severity of ovarian cancer

Highly elevated platelet levels fuel tumor growth and reduce the survival of ovarian cancer patients, an international team of researchers led by scientists at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer center reports in the New England Journal of Medicine.

16 Feb 2012

Researchers develop first 'newborn weight curves' for specific ethnic groups across Canada

One of the first things people ask new parents is how much does their baby weigh. For some immigrant parents, especially South Asians, the question may be stressful. Many of their newborns are incorrectly diagnosed as being significantly underweight, meaning they could be at higher risk of developmental issues.

15 Feb 2012

Surgeons fix plumbing in the heart of newborn 5 days old

Keyota Cole was born with a bad heart. The 33-year-old from of Bakersfield, Calif., suffers from a congenital heart disease called Ebstein's malformation of the tricuspid valve, and from abnormal pulmonary veins. She has undergone multiple surgeries over her lifetime, including one to repair a hole in her heart, a valve replacement and the implantation of a pacemaker.

15 Feb 2012

AMCHP honors LSUHSC's professor for excellence in maternal and child health care

Rebekah E. Gee MD MPH FACOG, Assistant Professor, LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans' Schools of Public Health and Medicine, has been chosen to receive a Recognition of Distinction for Excellence in State Maternal Child Health Leadership Award from the Association of Maternal & Child Health (MCH) Programs.

15 Feb 2012

U-M's first human embryonic stem cell line to be placed on the U.S.NIH registry

The University of Michigan's first human embryonic stem cell line will be placed on the U.S. National Institutes of Health's registry, making the cells available for federally-funded research. It is the first of the stem cell lines derived at the University of Michigan to be placed on the registry.

15 Feb 2012

Agilent's microarrays used in landmark study on prenatal samples

Agilent Technologies Inc. today announced its microarrays were used in a landmark research study on prenatal samples. The three-year study was designed to evaluate the accuracy, efficacy and potential advantages of using microarray analysis as compared with conventional karyotyping. Agilent SurePrint CGH microarrays and analysis software were used for the majority sample cohort of 4,400 samples.

14 Feb 2012

Two novel devices can predict women at risk of premature birth

Scientists and doctors from the University of Sheffield are developing two novel devices that could lead to the improved prediction of premature births.

14 Feb 2012

Chemotherapy during pregnancy for cancer does not necessarily harm the baby: Study

When a pregnant woman is diagnosed with cancer, she and her family and doctors are faced with difficult decisions about her health and that of her unborn child. It is known that giving chemotherapy in the first 12 weeks, when the baby's organs are still forming, raises the chances of birth defects. Postponing the treatment, however, could allow the cancer to spread. Over the last decade, doctors have been more willing to use chemotherapy after the first trimester, but there have been worries that the child's brain and heart could suffer damage.

13 Feb 2012

Elevated levels of cell-free fetal DNA early in pregnancy do not predict preeclampsia

In a study to be presented today at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine's annual meeting, The Pregnancy Meeting -, in Dallas, Texas, researchers will report findings that indicate that elevated levels of cell-free DNA in the first trimester do not predict the subsequent development of preeclampsia.

13 Feb 2012

Risk of obstetric intervention lower for women who intended home births

In a study to be presented today at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine's annual meeting, The Pregnancy Meeting -, in Dallas, Texas, researchers will report findings that indicate that the risk of obstetric intervention is lower for women who deliver or intend to deliver outside of hospitals, but there are some higher risks for newborns intended for home births compared to hospital births.

13 Feb 2012

Early MSC transplantation can help repair neonatal brain damage

In a study to be presented today at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine's annual meeting, The Pregnancy Meeting -, in Dallas, Texas, researchers will report that early transplantation of human placenta-derived mesenchymal stem cells into the lateral ventricles of neonatal rats with birth-related brain damage is possible, and that the donor cells can survive and migrate in the recipient's brain.

13 Feb 2012

No link between weight gain and risk of repeat preterm birth

One of the strongest known risk factors for spontaneous or unexpected preterm birth - any birth that occurs before the 37th week of pregnancy, most often without a known cause - is already having had one. For women in this group who would like to avoid this scenario in their second pregnancy, focusing on weight gain and dietary changes may not be the best strategy. A new study reported at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine's annual meeting found no connection between weight gain and the risk of repeat preterm birth.

13 Feb 2012