Birth Weight News and Research

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Study finds link between winter conception and gestational diabetes risk

Research led by the University of Adelaide has found that women whose babies are conceived in winter are more likely to develop gestational diabetes during pregnancy, increasing a range of risk factors for both child and mother.

15 Nov 2016

Nutrient-fortified donor milk does not improve neurodevelopment in VLBW babies, study finds

Among very low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants, the use of supplemental donor milk compared with formula did not improve neurodevelopment at 18 months, according to a study appearing in the November 8 issue of JAMA.

8 Nov 2016

Gestational age may have long-term effect on children's academic performance, study finds

A new study published in the International Journal of Epidemiology indicates that being born either too early or too late may have a long-term effect on children's academic performance.

8 Nov 2016

Researchers test new drug that shows promise to prevent pre-term birth

Researchers from the University of Adelaide have successfully tested a drug that is showing some early promise in efforts to prevent pre-term birth.

7 Nov 2016

Vitamin B12 deficiency during pregnancy may predispose children to type-2 diabetes

B12 deficiency during pregnancy may predispose children to metabolic problems such as type-2 diabetes, according to research presented today at the Society for Endocrinology's annual Conference in Brighton.

7 Nov 2016

Research highlights need to improve post mortem techniques to better detect cause of stillbirth

Analysis by a Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) led team looking at the effectiveness of different elements of the post mortem process shows that, despite full standard investigation, in the majority of cases of stillbirth the cause remains unknown. The papers highlight the need for further research to improve post mortem techniques to better detect a cause of death.

26 Oct 2016

Breastfed infants born to obese women gain less weight than babies fed with formula milk

An international study coordinated by professor Cristina Campoy from the department of Paediatrics at the University of Granada has showed that breastfed infants born to obese women keep a lower weight over the first 6 months of life in comparison with those who weren't fed with breast milk.

26 Oct 2016

Six innovations win $250,000 grants at Pediatric Surgical Innovation Symposium

Six pediatric medical device innovations that address a significant unmet need were awarded a total of $250,000 in grant money at the 4th annual Pediatric Surgical Innovation Symposium organized by the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation at Children’s National Health System.

12 Oct 2016

Small genetic differences linked to large effects on birth weight and poor health in later life

New research finds genetic differences that help to explain why some babies are born bigger or smaller than others.

4 Oct 2016

Researchers suggest need for human studies to examine effects of cannabinoid use during pregnancy

In this new era of legalized marijuana, far too little research has been conducted on the effect of cannabis on the development of human embryos, say researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center who scoured medical literature on the topic and found what they say is worrisome animal research.

30 Sep 2016

Smoke from indoor biomass fuel linked to COPD among rural women in Bangladesh

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the leading causes of death in the world.

26 Sep 2016

Study suggests babies born to women with hearing loss more likely to be premature and have low birth weight

Hearing loss is a marginalizing and disabling condition, resulting in various adverse social and health outcomes. Babies born to women with hearing loss were significantly more likely to be premature and have low birth weight, according to a new study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

26 Sep 2016

Research shows how placenta umpires fight for nutrients between pregnant mother and foetus

New research provides the first clear evidence that the amount of nutrients transported to the foetus by the placenta adjusts according to both the foetal drive for growth, and the mother's physical ability to provide.

13 Sep 2016

Maternal smoking linked to increased risk for Tourette syndrome and tic disorders

A study published in the September 2016 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry found an association between maternal smoking during pregnancy and an increased risk for Tourette syndrome and other chronic tic disorders.

7 Sep 2016

Low birth weight can affect sporting ability and exercise levels in later life

Individuals who are born with a low birth weight are less likely to be good at sports at school or participate in exercise later on in life.

2 Sep 2016

Extreme preemies more likey to develop abnormal blood glucose and high body fat in adulthood

By the time they are in their early 30s, extremely low birth weight (ELBW) babies are four times more likely to develop dysglycemia, or abnormal blood glucose, than their normal birth weight (NBW) peers.

2 Sep 2016

Prenatal exposure to organochlorine chemicals linked to increased odds of autism in children

Chemicals used in certain pesticides and as insulating material banned in the 1970s may still be haunting us, according to new research that suggests links between higher levels of exposure during pregnancy and significantly increased odds of autism spectrum disorder in children.

23 Aug 2016

Steroid treatment linked to increased risk of retinopathy in very low birth weight infants

Because of the beneficial effect of corticosteroids on lung function, especially in infants who are ventilator dependent, corticosteroids are, at times, administered to very low birth weight neonates to treat established or evolving lung disease. However, it has long been suspected that steroids may have negative neurodevelopmental effects on very premature infants.

16 Aug 2016

New study shows frozen embryo transfer safer, more successful in women with PCOS

Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) who receive frozen embryos during in vitro fertilization have safer and more successful pregnancies than those who get fresh embryos, according to the results of a recent collaboration between Penn State College of Medicine and Chinese researchers.

10 Aug 2016

Disordered airway microbiome at birth may be linked to severe neonatal lung disease

In contrast to the general belief that the airways of an infant are sterile until after birth, University of Alabama at Birmingham researchers and colleagues have found that the infant airway is already colonized with bacteria or bacterial DNA when a baby is born -- and this is true for infants born as early as 24 weeks gestation.

5 Aug 2016