Birth Weight News and Research

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Ambiguous genitalia in newborns may be more common than previously thought

Ambiguous genitalia in newborns may be more common than previously thought, according to a study published in the Endocrine Society's Journal of the Endocrine Society.

24 Apr 2019

Chemical-sampling wristbands detect similar exposures across three continents

To assess differences and trends in personal chemical exposure, Oregon State University researchers deployed chemical-sampling wristbands to individuals on three continents.

23 Apr 2019

Smoking cessation during pregnancy associated with reduced risk of preterm birth

There is an important association between maternal cigarette smoking cessation during pregnancy and risk of preterm birth, according to a new Dartmouth-led study published in JAMA Network Open.

22 Apr 2019

New scoring system based on genetic markers predicts obesity risk at birth

Researchers have come up with a scoring system based on genetic markers that predicts an individual's inborn risk for obesity.

19 Apr 2019

New program to address longstanding perinatal health disparities

Despite being home to a world-class medical center, renowned physicians and high-quality medical treatment, many communities in Houston experience significantly higher infant and maternal death rates.

11 Apr 2019

Embryo selection for IVF can be optimized using artificial intelligence technique

A new artificial intelligence approach by Weill Cornell Medicine investigators can identify with a great degree of accuracy whether a 5-day-old, in vitro fertilized human embryo has a high potential to progress to a successful pregnancy.

5 Apr 2019

Long-commutes during pregnancy linked to higher risk for adverse birth outcomes

In a study published in Economics & Human Biology researchers from Lehigh University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison found that pregnant women who commute long-distance to work have an increased risk of adverse birth outcomes, including having babies born at a low-birth weight.

1 Apr 2019

Preterm babies born without a protein in blood cells have higher risk of cerebral palsy and death

Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago have found that some preterm babies born without haptoglobin, a protein in blood cells, have higher odds of brain bleeding, cerebral palsy and death. Their findings suggest that the absence of the protein could serve as a potential biomarker indicating a need for increased monitoring or other preventive interventions.

30 Mar 2019

Discrimination, PTSD linked to high preterm-birth rates among African-American women

African-American women are nearly twice as likely to give birth prematurely as white women. Such births often coincide with low birth weight, and together are linked to other developmental delays and health effects believed responsible for almost one-fifth of infant deaths nationwide.

26 Mar 2019

Researchers call for review of drug-based strategies to prevent malaria in pregnant women

A global team of researchers, led by a research team at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM), are calling for a review of drug-based strategies used to prevent malaria infections in pregnant women, in areas where there is widespread resistance to existing antimalarial medicines.

26 Mar 2019

Blood test and mathematical model can estimate preterm birth rate in low-resource countries

Preterm birth is a leading cause of death among children under the age of five, with low resource countries facing the greatest challenge.

19 Mar 2019

Study finds low rates of lipid screening among women of childbearing age

Eight out of 10 women of childbearing age have never had their cholesterol levels checked, despite clear guidelines to get a first lipid blood test early in adulthood, according to research being presented at the American College of Cardiology's 68th Annual Scientific Session.

7 Mar 2019

Exposure to antenatal corticosteroid therapy associated with reduced fetal growth

Infants exposed to antenatal corticosteroid therapy to accelerate lung maturation have a clinically significant reduction in birth size, according to a new of study of 278,508 births published this week in PLOS Medicine by Alina Rodriguez of the University of Lincoln and Imperial College London, UK, and colleagues.

28 Feb 2019

Preterm babies whose mother's received steroid treatment have lower birth weight

Steroid injections given to mothers at risk of giving birth prematurely are linked to babies being born with lower body weights.

26 Feb 2019

Cocktail of chemicals in the mother inhibits child growth

For the first time, researchers have shown that a combination of perfluorinated substances in the mother significantly inhibits child growth.

25 Feb 2019

Depression prevention for pregnant women and new mothers – new recommendations

At present all new mothers are screened for symptoms of depression and help is provided to those who need care. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force now has urged doctors to screen pregnant women for risks of depression and provide adequate counselling and support to prevent the onset of depression after delivery. The report was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association this week.

14 Feb 2019

New study helps doctors better understand high blood pressure in pregnant women

According the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 6 - 8% of pregnant women experience hypertension. High blood pressure during pregnancy is associated with a number of risks to the woman and fetus, including low-birth weight infants, preterm birth, problems with the placenta, heavy bleeding, heart defects and other congenital anomalies, and in the most severe cases death.

13 Feb 2019

Children born after fertility treatment do not have greater risk of developing cancer

Children born after assisted reproductive technology do not appear to be at greater risk of developing cancer than other children, according to the first study to look at the long-term cancer risk in ART children compared to those in the general population or who were naturally conceived by subfertile women.

4 Feb 2019

One-third of pregnant women do not believe cannabis is harmful to their fetus

Up to one-third of pregnant women do not believe cannabis is harmful to their fetus, according to a new review by UBC researchers.

21 Jan 2019

Counseling appointments fail to reduce weight gain during pregnancy, shows study

If a pregnant woman gains excessive weight, it can pose a problem for both the mother and child. As a solution, regular counseling appointments have been proposed.

16 Jan 2019