Maternal Health News and Research

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Deep staff cuts at a little-known federal agency pose trouble for droves of local health programs

A little-known federal agency that sends more than $12 billion annually to support community health centers, addiction treatment services, and workforce initiatives for America's neediest people has been hobbled by the Trump administration's staffing purges.

1 Aug 2025

Immune cells migrate from the gut to breast during pregnancy and lactation

Of the 3.6 million babies born in the United States each year, around 80 percent begin breastfeeding in their first month of life.

30 Jul 2025

Creatine may enhance neuroprotection through energy pathways

Creatine supplementation may improve cognitive performance and mood, offering insights into its role in muscle-brain interactions and overall health.

25 Jul 2025

Aluminum vaccines cleared of long-term health risks

Findings from a cohort of 1.2 million children indicate aluminum-adsorbed vaccines do not raise the risk of autism, asthma, or autoimmune diseases.

17 Jul 2025

Preeclampsia in pregnancy reduces risk of some cancers but raises endometrial cancer odds

Women with preeclampsia in their first pregnancy had a lower risk of developing breast, cervical, and lung cancer later in life, but a higher risk of endometrial cancer. The large Nordic cohort study also found that siblings of women with PE had a modestly reduced risk of cancer, particularly lung cancer.

7 Jul 2025

Postpartum hemorrhage linked to increased cardiovascular problems years later

Women who experience severe bleeding after giving birth face elevated risks to their cardiovascular health that can persist for up to 15 years – a new analysis of data from over 9.7 million women across Europe, North America and Asia shows.

25 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

Measles cases surge in the United States amid falling vaccination rates

The United States is in the midst of the second-highest year of measles cases since 2000, when the disease was declared eliminated in this country, meaning that cases within the United States originated outside the country.

16 May 2025

Maternal health during pregnancy linked to higher blood pressure in children

Children born to mothers with obesity, gestational diabetes mellitus or a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy have higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure than children born to mothers without these risk factors, according to a new USC study.

8 May 2025

Fate of Black maternal health programs is unclear amid federal cuts

Eboni Tomasek expected to take home her newborn the day after he was born in a San Jose hospital. But, without explanation, hospital staff said they needed to stay a second night. Then a third. A nurse said her son had jaundice.

22 Apr 2025

Pregnancy complications may predict future heart disease risk

Complications during pregnancy (or adverse pregnancy outcomes), like gestational diabetes and newly developed high blood pressure, act as nature's stress test and may uncover an individual's risk for heart disease later in life, according to new research published in the JACC, the flagship journal of the American College of Cardiology.

14 Apr 2025

WHO leads global action on maternal and newborn health for World Health Day

On the occasion of the World Health Day 2025 dedicated to the theme of Healthier beginnings, hopeful futures, over 100 global offices of the World Health Organization (WHO) have organized wide-ranging public advocacy actions in collaboration with Member States, communities, health workers, partner and donor agencies and civil society organizations.

11 Apr 2025

UN sounds alarm over funding cuts impacting maternal health

Women today are more likely than ever to survive pregnancy and childbirth according to a major new report released today, but United Nations (UN) agencies highlight the threat of major backsliding as unprecedented aid cuts take effect around the world.

7 Apr 2025

Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures: A Conversation with WHO’s Dr. Allotey

Dr. Pascale Allotey advocates for comprehensive maternal health policies, stressing the importance of women's voices in shaping effective healthcare solutions.

7 Apr 2025

Women with pre-eclampsia face early onset of cardiovascular risk factors

Women who have experienced pre-eclampsia have accelerated accumulation of cardiovascular (CV) risk factors compared with women who had pregnancies without pre-eclampsia according to research presented today at ESC Preventive Cardiology 2025, a scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).

4 Apr 2025