Maternal Health News and Research

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How low can they go? Rural hospitals weigh keeping obstetric units when births decline

As rural hospitals struggle to stay financially stable, their leaders watch other small facilities close obstetrics units to cut costs.

12 Nov 2021

Low amount of caffeine intake during pregnancy may help reduce gestational diabetes risk

Good news for pregnant coffee lovers: Consuming a low amount of caffeine during pregnancy could help to reduce gestational diabetes risk, according to researchers in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and the National Institutes of Health. The findings were published Monday in JAMA Network Open.

11 Nov 2021

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on women’s experience of pregnancy in UK

The current study deals with the results of a study carried out on pregnant women.

9 Nov 2021

UTSA research could be key to decreasing maternal mortality rates in the U.S.

Researchers from The University of Texas at San Antonio College for Health, Community and Policy (HCaP) have conducted a study that could be key to decreasing maternal mortality rates in the U.S.

26 Oct 2021

Research shows a link between infants' sleep and weight

Infants who sleep longer through the night and with fewer interruptions may be less likely to become overweight during their first six months of life, according to a study published in the journal SLEEP.

22 Oct 2021

Allergens in breastmilk could be the key for child's immune system education and allergy prevention

Mothers who breastfeed produce signals that influence the immune system development of their babies and help to prevent future food allergies, according to new global research.

7 Oct 2021

Untreated depression in pregnant women associated with low birth weight and preterm birth

Untreated depression in pregnant people is strongly linked to low birth weight and preterm birth, with Black pregnant people suffering worse outcomes than their white peers, according to a new meta-analysis led by Shannon Simonovich, assistant professor at DePaul University's School of Nursing.

5 Oct 2021

Breastfeeding could possibly reduce a woman’s risk for postpartum depression, suggests study

According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, between 11 and 20 percent of women who give birth each year in the U.S. have postpartum depression symptoms, which is the greatest risk factor for maternal suicide and infanticide

1 Oct 2021

New guidelines for improving maternal cardiovascular health before, during and after pregnancy

Thanks largely to the efforts of Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers, the American Heart Association recently announced recommendations for improving cardiovascular health outcomes in women before, during and after pregnancy.

24 Sep 2021

Researchers use high-tech 3D facial scans to better understand the genetic causes of autism

New Australian research is using high-tech 3D facial scans to give us a better understanding of the genetic causes of autism.

17 Sep 2021

Women exposed to high levels of PFAS more likely to stop breastfeeding early

Women with higher levels of PFAS in their system may be 20% more likely to stop breastfeeding early, according to a new study published in the Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

16 Sep 2021

Periods before and between pregnancies are key times to address preeclampsia risk, study finds

Preeclampsia — a complication that occurs in about 1 in every 25 pregnancies in the United States — is characterized by high blood pressure and signs of damage to an organ system, most often the liver or kidneys.

26 Aug 2021

Study finds link between residential proximity to oil and gas drilling and lower birthweights in infants

A new study from Oregon State University found that infants born within 3 kilometers of oil and natural gas drilling facilities in Texas had slightly lower birthweights than those born before drilling began in their vicinity.

22 Jul 2021

Achieving gender equality within global health

News-Medical spoke to Dr. Claire Bayntun about her incredible career in global health, and how we can achieve gender equality within healthcare settings.

28 Jun 2021

Does the number of siblings you have affect your health?

News-Medical spoke to Professor Peter M Nilsson about cardiovascular disease risk and whether this is affected by the number of siblings you have.

15 Jun 2021

Study reveals maternal and neonatal benefits of Pfizer COVID-19 mRNA vaccine

A new commentary, published as an ‘In-Press Preview’ in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, addresses the salient issue of vaccination against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in pregnancy and potential antibody transfer to the fetus – and provides the evidence in support of messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine safety and efficacy for both maternal and child health.

13 Jun 2021

Study implicates placental protein as a possible regulator of an infant’s birthweight

New findings from the University of Minnesota Medical School are helping uncover why some people are more likely to be overweight and develop Type 2 diabetes -- and it starts in the womb.

10 Jun 2021

Newsom wants to spend millions on the health of low-income mothers and their babies

Amid a pandemic that has pushed millions of mothers out of the workplace, caused fertility rates to plunge and heightened the risk of death for pregnant women, California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Democratic lawmakers are seeking a slate of health proposals for low-income families and children.

3 Jun 2021

Many new moms get kicked off Medicaid 2 months after giving birth. Illinois will change that.

The U.S. is the only industrialized nation in which the maternal death rate has been rising. Each year, about 700 deaths are due to pregnancy, childbirth or subsequent complications, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.