Womb News and Research

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The womb is the small, hollow, pear-shaped organ in a woman's pelvis. This is the organ in which a baby grows. Also called uterus.

Mother's gut bacteria during pregnancy promote healthy brain development in the fetus

A study in mice has discovered that the presence of Bifidobacterium breve bacteria in the mother's gut during pregnancy promotes healthy brain development in the fetus.

22 Aug 2024

Light smoking during pregnancy linked to major newborn health risks

Even light smoking of just 1-2 cigarettes a day either before or at any time during pregnancy is significantly associated with major health problems in the newborn, finds research published online in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health.

20 Aug 2024

Study: Early brain wiring driven by spontaneous cellular activity

In humans, the process of learning is driven by different groups of cells in the brain firing together. For instance, when the neurons associated with the process of recognizing a dog begin to fire in a coordinated manner in response to the cells that encode the features of a dog - four legs, fur, a tail, etc. - a young child will eventually be able to identify dogs going forward.

16 Aug 2024

New research shows how testosterone may shield against severe Covid-19

A new study has revealed important information about how a patient's testosterone level can help protect them from severe Covid-19.

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

Higher BPA levels in pregnant mothers linked to autism in sons

Florey researchers have found evidence of higher levels of the plastic chemical bisphenol A (BPA) in pregnant mothers who gave birth to sons with autism.

7 Aug 2024

New study highlights paternal influence on child's T1D risk

New research to be presented at this year's Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) (Madrid, 9-13 September) shows that a child is almost twice as likely to develop type 1 diabetes (T1D) if their father has the condition than if their mother has the condition.

27 Jul 2024

How maternal scent enhances face perception in infants aged 4-12 months

Humans see the world through the five senses, but how and when the ability to integrate across the senses arises is debated.

19 Jul 2024

How may cannabis affect neurodevelopment when exposed in the womb?

Researchers investigated whether prenatal cannabis exposure is related to variations in brain development, which may partially mitigate the relationship between PCE and increased psychopathology throughout early adolescence.

9 Jul 2024

How prenatal cannabis exposure may affect mental health in childhood

Scientists are trying to understand how cannabis may affect long term neurodevelopment when people were exposed to it in the womb.

8 Jul 2024

New guidelines provide the first code of practice for use of stem cell-based embryo models

Stem cell-based embryo models (SCBEMs) are three-dimensional biological structures that mimic aspects of early human embryo development.

3 Jul 2024

Math model suggests single-parent nursing evolved to fight off bad bacteria

Being nursed by a single parent could be an evolutionary strategy to curb the spread of harmful microbes in mammals, according to a novel theory developed by mathematicians.

27 Jun 2024

Primitive endoderm in early embryos may be key to creating new effective fertility treatments

An unexpectedly versatile and regenerative stem cell in early embryos may be key to creating new effective fertility treatments, suggests a new study in mice from the University of Copenhagen.

24 Jun 2024

Newly designed genetic therapy could alleviate debilitating giant moles in rare skin condition

Researchers at the Francis Crick Institute, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute for Child Health and Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children (GOSH) have designed a new genetic therapy that could alleviate debilitating giant moles in a rare skin condition.

17 Jun 2024