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CMV infection found to worsen necrotizing enterocolitis in preterm infants

Researchers say they found that infection with a common virus that can be transmitted from mother to fetus before birth significantly worsens an often-fatal complication of premature birth called necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in experiments with mice.

24 Feb 2025

Iowa Medicaid sends $4M bills to two families grieving deaths of loved ones with disabilities

Collection agents for the state of Iowa have sent letters seeking millions of dollars from the estates of at least two people with disabilities who died after spending most of their lives in a state institution.

18 Feb 2025

Australian researchers discover potential lifeline for premature babies

Australian researchers have discovered a potential new lifeline for the tiniest and most vulnerable newborns. Scientists at Monash Children's Hospital have successfully collected and reinfused umbilical cord blood cells in extremely premature babies, offering a glimmer of hope for preventing brain injuries.

18 Dec 2024

MS medications do not increase pregnancy risks, research shows

An analysis of over 3,700 pregnancies of women with multiple sclerosis indicates that the therapy doesn’t lead to increased risks of miscarriage, premature birth or serious birth defects.

18 Dec 2024

Gene therapy to prevent stillbirth and premature delivery developed

Researchers investigate the effectiveness of placental nano-based insulin-like 1 growth factor gene therapy to correct fetal growth restriction.

12 Dec 2024

New guidelines focus on preventing first strokes through healthy living

Healthy lifestyle behaviors, such as good nutrition, smoking cessation and being physically active, along with routine health screenings and managing risk factors for cardiovascular disease and stroke with medication, can help prevent individuals from having a first stroke.

21 Oct 2024

Revealing the hidden role of blood leaks in Alzheimer’s and MS

The question of what causes complex neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's or multiple sclerosis continues to confound scientists and doctors, with the unknowns standing in the way of early diagnoses and effective treatments.

18 Oct 2024

Understanding the impact of sperm DNA damage on IVF pregnancy risks

For the first time, researchers have linked specific frequent defects in sperm to risk of pregnancy complications and negative impacts on the health of the baby.

12 Oct 2024

Placental changes may increase the risk of asthma and allergies in children

Changes in the placenta may increase the risk of children developing asthma and allergies, as shown in new research from örebro University.

8 Oct 2024

Music therapy improves sleep and comfort in preterm infants

Daily music interventions significantly improved comfort and sleep transitions in preterm infants without affecting physiological stability. This study highlights the potential of non-pharmacological music therapy in neonatal care.

24 Sep 2024

Simple intervention can prevent lifelong disability in premature babies

Giving women at risk of premature birth a simple magnesium sulphate infusion (or 'drip') can prevent their babies from developing cerebral palsy, a recent Cochrane review has confirmed. The drug itself costs approximately £5 (~$6.50) per dose in England, and requires hospital admission with experienced staff to administer the drug safely to the mother.

24 Sep 2024

IVF transfer day does not impact overall success rates, study reveals

In IVF treatment, embryos are traditionally transferred in the uterus three days after fertilization. Due to improvements in laboratory techniques, this is now also possible after five days.

17 Sep 2024

Swift management of gestational diabetes lowers child obesity rates

Swiftly achieving glycemic control after a diagnosis of gestational diabetes can bring the baby's risk obesity in childhood down to a level similar to that of children whose mothers did not have gestational diabetes, new research being presented at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Madrid, Spain (9-13 September), has found.

12 Sep 2024

Inflammation during pregnancy impacts child neurodevelopment

When a person experiences an injury or infection, the body's immune system responds with inflammation to start the healing process. However, inflammation can occur in much less helpful circumstances – for example, when a person experiences psychological stress or consistently eats a poor diet high in sugars, fats, and processed foods.

9 Aug 2024

Increased skin-to-skin time linked to better neurodevelopment

Skin-to-skin cuddling with a parent has lasting cognitive benefits for premature babies, according to a new Stanford Medicine study. Preemies who received more skin-to-skin contact, also known as kangaroo care, while hospitalized as newborns were less likely to be developmentally delayed at 1 year of age, the study found.

8 Aug 2024

Long-acting injectable CAB-LA safe for HIV PrEP during pregnancy, study finds

Long-acting injectable cabotegravir (CAB-LA) was safe and well tolerated as HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) before and during pregnancy in the follow-up phase of a global study among cisgender women.

23 Jul 2024

Early detection of specific microRNAs may help predict preeclampsia in pregnant women

Preeclampsia (PE) is a significant contributor to the increase in maternal morbidity and mortality worldwide, with particularly alarming numbers in the United States, where it affects about 2–8% of pregnancies, resulting in premature birth with associated morbidities for their infants as well.

16 Jul 2024