Birth Defects News and Research

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Computational biology unlocks rules of tissue self-organization

A team of researchers at ChristianaCare's Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute and the University of Delaware believe they've found an answer.

15 Jul 2025

New guideline recommends proper preconception care for women with diabetes

A joint guideline released today from the Endocrine Society and the European Society of Endocrinology (ESE) recommends women with diabetes receive proper preconception care and access to emerging diabetes technology and therapeutics to manage their blood sugar before, during and after pregnancy.

13 Jul 2025

TMP-SMX in early pregnancy increases risk of birth defects, new study shows

A large US cohort study found that using trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) for UTI in the first trimester of pregnancy was associated with a higher risk of congenital malformations compared to β-lactam antibiotics. No increased risk was seen with nitrofurantoin or fluoroquinolones.

10 Jul 2025

GATE complex discovery sheds light on CMV's evasion of immune defenses

New research from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and La Jolla Institute for Immunology, published today in Nature Microbiology, reveals an opportunity for developing a therapy against cytomegalovirus (CMV), the leading infectious cause of birth defects in the United States.

30 Jun 2025

Formation of tiny living bots can reset the cellular aging clock

Modern humans have existed for over 200,000 years, and each new generation has begun with a single cell-dividing, changing shape and function, organizing into tissues, organs, and limbs.

21 Jun 2025

Research reveals how a microscopic parasite disrupts brain function

A team of scientists at the University of California, Riverside, explains in a paper published in PLOS Pathogens how a microscopic parasite, Toxoplasma gondii, can significantly disrupt brain function, even when it infects only a small number of neurons.

19 Jun 2025

WHO warns of ORVO as outbreaks surge and health risks rise

Oropouche virus poses a growing public health risk, with recent outbreaks in Brazil and Cuba. The WHO report calls for urgent global preparedness measures.

13 Jun 2025

Prenatal exposure to forever chemicals linked to higher teen blood pressure

Children exposed before birth to synthetic compounds called "forever chemicals" had higher blood pressure during their teenage years, according to new research published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open access, peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.

13 Jun 2025

New nanopore sequencing assay advances fragile X syndrome carrier screening

Researchers have developed an innovative new nanopore sequencing assay to identify carriers of fragile X syndrome (FXS), the leading cause of monogenic autism spectrum disorder and inherited intellectual disabilities.

12 Jun 2025

Wayne State researchers investigate effects of fentanyl use during pregnancy

A new National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant will aid Wayne State University researchers in measuring the effects of fentanyl during pregnancy on maternal behaviors and offspring at birth through early development.

5 Jun 2025

Children’s understanding of fairness in disability accommodations grows with age

According to the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, approximately 1 in 6 children in the United States have developmental disabilities which include physical, learning, language or behavior-related disabilities.

29 May 2025

A California lawmaker leans into her medical training in fight for health safety net

State Sen. Akilah Weber Pierson anticipates that California's sprawling Medicaid program, known as Medi-Cal, may need to be dialed back after Gov. Gavin Newsom releases his latest budget, which could reflect a multibillion-dollar deficit.

9 May 2025

Measles could become endemic again in the United States

Childhood vaccination rates have been falling in the United States, especially since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

24 Apr 2025

Study unveils genetic pathway leading to cleft lip and palate formation

Cleft lip and cleft palate are among the most common birth defects, occurring in about one in 1,050 births in the United States.

17 Apr 2025

Swedish study highlights prevalence of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders

Out of 206 fourth-grade students, 19 met criteria for fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. This was found in a pilot study conducted at the University of Gothenburg.

4 Apr 2025

Oropouche virus: Emerging threats, symptoms, and prevention

Researchers provide an overview of the emerging Oropouche virus.

19 Mar 2025

Congenital heart defects may be linked to increased cancer risk in babies and mothers

Being born with a heart defect may be associated with an increased cancer risk for babies and their moms, according to new research published today in the American Heart Association's flagship journal Circulation.

17 Mar 2025

Study reveals key insights for preventing cytomegalovirus spread to fetuses

A new Weill Cornell Medicine and Oregon Health & Science University co-authored study provides critical insight for the development of a vaccine that can more effectively block the spread of cytomegalovirus, or CMV, across the placenta to babies before they are born.

12 Mar 2025

Surprising study reveals dads’ weight and diet don’t impact baby’s size

A study shows paternal health factors like BMI and diet do not influence birth weight or length, emphasizing maternal diet's critical role in pregnancy.

4 Mar 2025

NIH funding helps address pediatric disease gaps in clinical trials

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) serves as an important source of funding for clinical trials in children, especially for diseases, such as cancer, that are not as highly prioritized in industry-sponsored clinical trials, according to a recent study published in The Journal of Pediatrics.

3 Mar 2025