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Expanding insurance coverage for elective single-embryo transfer could result in ideal pregnancy outcomes

Expanding insurance coverage for a type of in vitro fertilization known as elective single-embryo transfer could lead to improved health outcomes and lower health care costs, according to a newly published study that included researchers from the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

15 Apr 2016

Annual economic cost of U.S. premature births linked to air pollution reaches $4.33 billion

The annual economic cost of the nearly 16,000 premature births linked to air pollution in the United States has reached $4.33 billion, according to a report by scientists at NYU Langone Medical Center.

29 Mar 2016

Researchers reveal effects of noise on premature babies' sensory abilities

Premature birth is a harsh change of environment for a baby. Until birth, the baby is confined to the mother's womb, surrounded by soft lighting and filtered noise. When infants are born, they are attacked by several visual, sound, and tactile stimulations. These stimulations thus constitute unpleasant factors for them.

23 Mar 2016

Study: Cox2 inhibition improves outcomes in preeclampsia-like mouse model

Preeclampsia is characterized by elevated blood pressure in the second half of pregnancy and impaired blood flow to the placenta, which increases the risk of premature birth and pregnancy complications.

21 Mar 2016

Study reveals effects of preterm birth on children's long-term development, learning

Children born before 34 weeks gestation have poorer reading and maths skills than those born at full term, and the difficulties they experience at school continue to have effects into adulthood: by the age of 42, adults who were born prematurely have lower incomes and are less likely to own their own home than those born at full term.

10 Mar 2016

Preterm neonatal progenitor cells may be a powerful tool for regeneration of damaged kidneys

Cells collected noninvasively from the urine of preterm infants may lead to breakthroughs in regenerative kidney repair for patients with kidney disease and injury, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

4 Mar 2016

Researchers demonstrate new way to reduce preterm birth using nanoparticles

Using nanoparticles to engineer a special drug, a team of researchers has demonstrated in mice a new way to both reduce preterm birth and avoid the risks of medication in pregnancy to unborn babies.

2 Feb 2016

Refugee women have higher risk of giving birth too early than non-refugee immigrants

Refugee women who come to Canada have greater risk of giving birth prematurely than non-refugee immigrants, a study by a St. Michael's Hospital researcher has found. Those risks are fueled by the fact that the preterm birth rate was 7.1 per cent among secondary refugees - those who spent more than six months in a transit country before arriving in Canada -compared to five per cent among secondary, non-refugee immigrants.

29 Jan 2016

Depression in expectant parents during pregnancy increases risk of premature birth

Depression in both expectant mothers and fathers increases the risk of premature birth, finds a study published in BJOG: an International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (BJOG).

20 Jan 2016

Maternal smoking affects long-term health of male offspring

Mothers who smoke are putting more than their own health at risk, suggests a study published today in BJOG: an International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Young men whose mothers smoked during pregnancy had lower aerobic fitness compared to those whose mothers did not.

9 Dec 2015

March of Dimes scientists help fine-tune experiments to uncover unknown causes of preterm birth

A new, integrated online database of genes and other information related to pregnancy has been developed by March of Dimes Prematurity Research Center investigators to help fine-tune questions, theories, and experiments to uncover the unknown causes of preterm birth.

12 Nov 2015

March of Dimes Premature Birth Report Card reveals racial, ethnic disparities within states

Portland, Oregon has the best preterm birth rate of the top 100 cities with the most births nationwide, while Shreveport, Louisiana has the worst, according to the 2015 March of Dimes Premature Birth Report Card, which for the first time graded cities and counties around the nation and revealed persistent racial, ethnic and geographic disparities within states.

5 Nov 2015

Prominent buildings and landmarks nationwide to light up purple to honor premature babies

To honor the 1 in 10 babies in the United States born prematurely each year, prominent buildings and landmarks nationwide, including the Empire State Building in New York City, will be shining in purple light in November to observe Prematurity Awareness Month.

29 Oct 2015

Testing amniotic fluid could guide doctors to make delivery planning decisions for preterm births

Analyzing gene expression of an expectant mother's amniotic fluid could give doctors an important tool for deciding when it is safe to deliver premature babies.

28 Oct 2015

Melatonin and the circadian rhythm: an interview with Professor Kennaway, University of Adelaide

The production of melatonin is controlled by a part of the brain called the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and its timing fine-tuned by our exposure to light during the morning.

20 Oct 2015

Premature babies face increased risk of mental illness due to weakened connections in brain networks

Babies born prematurely face an increased risk of neurological and psychiatric problems that may be due to weakened connections in brain networks linked to attention, communication and the processing of emotions, new research shows.

19 Oct 2015

Researchers successfully convert skin cells into fully functional placenta-generating cells

Regenerative medicine is a new and expanding area that aims to replace lost or damaged cells, tissues or organs in the human body through cellular transplantation. Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are pluripotent cells that are capable of long-term growth, self-renewal, and can give rise to every cell, tissue and organ in the fetus's body.

15 Oct 2015

Cancer treatment does not affect pregnancy outcome, shows new study

Women who are pregnant when diagnosed with cancer can start treatment for their disease immediately and do not need to terminate their pregnancy due to worries over the effects of therapy on the development of their child.

29 Sep 2015

Ultrasonic attenuation could be early indicator of preterm-birth risk

Ultrasonic attenuation -- an ultrasound's gradual loss of energy as the sound waves circulate through tissue -- could be an early indicator of whether a pregnant woman is at risk for delivering prematurely, according to a new study at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Nursing.

19 Sep 2015

New book from the March of Dimes details successful program to reduce preterm birth

Details of a program that successfully reduced preterm birth are available for health care professionals in a new book from the March of Dimes.

19 Aug 2015