Birth Defects News and Research

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UT Southwestern researchers develop improved gene-editing technique to correct DMD mutations

Regenerative medicine researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center developed an improved and simplified gene-editing technique using CRISPR/Cas9 tools to correct a common mutation that causes Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

30 Nov 2017

Expectant mothers living in war zones at increased risk of giving birth to underweight babies

Mums-to-be living in war zones/areas of armed conflict are at heightened risk of giving birth to low birthweight babies.

29 Nov 2017

Efforts to phase out chemicals in non-stick coatings have prevented low-weight births, brain damage

Government and industry efforts since 2003 to phase out chemicals used to make non-stick coatings, such as Teflon, have prevented more than 118,000 low-weight births and related brain damage in the United States.

27 Nov 2017

Heavy rainfall can help predict mosquito-borne virus outbreaks

A new study demonstrates that outbreaks of mosquito-borne viruses Zika and Chikungunya generally occur about three weeks after heavy rainfall.

22 Nov 2017

New technique may reveal clues about role of centromeres in Down syndrome, other birth defects

Some scientists call it the "final frontier" of our DNA -- even though it lies at the center of every X-shaped chromosome in nearly every one of our cells.

20 Nov 2017

ASU professor reveals more about craniofacial conditions before release of ‘Wonder’

The new film "Wonder" tells the story of a young boy who overcomes the challenges of living with the facial structural abnormality known as Treacher Collins Syndrome.

17 Nov 2017

Drug used to prevent and treat malaria may also be effective for Zika virus

A new collaborative study led by researchers at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute and UC San Diego School of Medicine has found that a medication used to prevent and treat malaria may also be effective for Zika virus.

17 Nov 2017

Scientists suggest possibility of naturally acquired immunity against Zika infection

Birth defects in babies born infected with Zika virus remain a major health concern. Now, scientists suggest the possibility that some women in high-risk Zika regions may already be protected and not know it.

16 Nov 2017

Pilot study raises concerns about exposure of pregnant women to benzene in British Columbia

Université de Montréal research reveals that 29 pregnant women living near natural-gas hydraulic fracturing sites had a median concentration of a benzene biomarker in their urine that was 3.5 times higher than that found in women from the general Canadian population.

13 Nov 2017

California cracks down on weed killer as lawsuits abound

Jack McCall was a fixture at the local farmers market, where he sold avocados and other fruits he grew on his 20-acre ranch in Cambria, on California's Central Coast.

8 Nov 2017

Discovery may provide insight into how Zika virus gets transmitted from mother to fetus

Researchers at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine, with colleagues in Brazil, report that the Zika virus is transmitted from mother to fetus by infected cells that, ironically, will later develop into the brain's first and primary form of defense against invasive pathogens.

27 Oct 2017

New study uncovers 13 previously-unknown genetic risk variants for restless legs syndrome

A new study into the genetics underlying restless legs syndrome has identified 13 previously-unknown genetic risk variants, while helping inform potential new treatment options for the condition.

13 Oct 2017

Fever in first trimester of pregnancy increases risk for birth defects, study shows

Fevers in a mother's first trimester of pregnancy increase the baby's risk for some heart defects and facial deformities such as cleft lip or palate, but exactly how this happens is unclear. Scientists have debated whether a virus or other infection causes the defects, or if fever alone is the problem.

12 Oct 2017

Researchers to explore effects of maternal nitrate consumption on birth outcomes

Nitrate is the most common contaminant in aquifers and tap water throughout the world, but its effects on human health remain largely unknown.

12 Oct 2017

Zika virus outbreak in Ecuador worsened by El Niño and 2016 earthquake

A Zika virus outbreak in coastal Ecuador in 2016 was likely worsened by a strong El Niño and a magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck the region in April, according to a new study.

12 Oct 2017

Duke researchers unravel how fever in early pregnancy increases risk for heart, facial birth defects

Researchers have known for decades that fevers in the first trimester of pregnancy increase risk for some heart defects and facial deformities such as cleft lip or palate. Exactly how this happens is unclear. Scientists have debated whether a virus or other infection source causes the defects, or if fever alone is the underlying problem.

10 Oct 2017

Study sheds new light on underlying genetic causes of congenital heart disease

Approximately one in every 100 babies is born with congenital heart disease (CHD), and CHD remains the leading cause of mortality from birth defects.

9 Oct 2017

FDA grants approval for new test to detect Zika virus in blood donations

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved the cobas Zika test, a qualitative nucleic acid test for the detection of Zika virus RNA in individual plasma specimens obtained from volunteer donors of whole blood and blood components, and from living organ donors.

6 Oct 2017

Researchers find genetic variation linked to effects of prenatal alcohol exposure

Researchers at the University of Helsinki, Finland, have found a genetic variation, which associates with the damage caused by maternal alcohol consumption. This genetic variation clarifies the role of genetic factors in the alcohol-induced developmental disorders and could be useful in future diagnostics.

5 Oct 2017

New DNA-based Zika vaccine demonstrates safety and ability to elicit immune response

A new generation DNA-based Zika vaccine is the first to demonstrate both safety and the ability to elicit an immune response against Zika in humans, according to new research from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, conducted in partnership with The Wistar Institute, Inovio Pharmaceuticals, and GeneOne Life Science, Inc.

5 Oct 2017

Birth Defects News and Research

UT Southwestern researchers develop improved gene-editing technique to correct DMD mutations

Expectant mothers living in war zones at increased risk of giving birth to underweight babies

Efforts to phase out chemicals in non-stick coatings have prevented low-weight births, brain damage

Heavy rainfall can help predict mosquito-borne virus outbreaks

New technique may reveal clues about role of centromeres in Down syndrome, other birth defects

ASU professor reveals more about craniofacial conditions before release of ‘Wonder’

Drug used to prevent and treat malaria may also be effective for Zika virus

Scientists suggest possibility of naturally acquired immunity against Zika infection

Pilot study raises concerns about exposure of pregnant women to benzene in British Columbia

California cracks down on weed killer as lawsuits abound

Discovery may provide insight into how Zika virus gets transmitted from mother to fetus

New study uncovers 13 previously-unknown genetic risk variants for restless legs syndrome

Fever in first trimester of pregnancy increases risk for birth defects, study shows

Researchers to explore effects of maternal nitrate consumption on birth outcomes

Zika virus outbreak in Ecuador worsened by El Niño and 2016 earthquake

Duke researchers unravel how fever in early pregnancy increases risk for heart, facial birth defects

Study sheds new light on underlying genetic causes of congenital heart disease

FDA grants approval for new test to detect Zika virus in blood donations

Researchers find genetic variation linked to effects of prenatal alcohol exposure

New DNA-based Zika vaccine demonstrates safety and ability to elicit immune response

Managing vibration in IVF laboratories

Improving healthcare sustainability through carbon data

A New Approach to Preventing Bladder Cancer Recurrence

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