Birth Weight News and Research

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Study to examine how breastfeeding impacts cost of healthcare for very low birth weight babies

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded nearly $3 million to support Rush University Medical Center's study analyzing how human breast milk impacts the health outcomes and health care cost savings for very low birth weight infants – babies less than 1500 grams.

16 Dec 2008

Comparable data on maternal and infant in Europe available for the first time

Promoting healthy pregnancy and safe childbirth is a goal of all European health care systems.

12 Dec 2008

Women waiting longer to start a family

The latest report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare - Australia's Mothers and Babies 2006 - says that women are waiting longer to start a family.

9 Dec 2008

Biomarkers in blood could aid diagnosis of two severe and debilitating forms of malaria

Canadian researchers have identified protein biomarkers that shed new light on the development of two severe and debilitating forms of malaria.

8 Dec 2008

Genes for nine health indicators: Population study finds genetics clues

A new genome-wide study examines genetic variants associated with nine metabolic traits and is the first to draw out novel variants from a population unselected for current disease. The traits are indicators for common disease such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, blood pressure, inflammation and lipid levels.

7 Dec 2008

Researchers study newborns' umbilical cord blood to better understand fetal health risks from smoking mothers

Despite the well-known dangers of first- and secondhand smoke, an estimated ten percent of pregnant women in the U.S. are smokers.

3 Dec 2008

Babies exposed to tobacco in utero more irritable, difficult to soothe

Previous studies have shown that babies exposed to tobacco in utero are more likely to have a low birth weight and are at increased risk for sudden infant death syndrome.

1 Dec 2008

High levels of prenatal smoking exposure affects sleep in early babies

A study in the Dec. 1 issue of the journal Sleep is the first to show that high levels of prenatal smoking exposure strongly modify sleep patterns in preterm neonates, which places infants at a higher risk for developmental difficulties that could persist throughout early and middle childhood.

1 Dec 2008

No benefit from nifedipine widely used to prevent premature births

A trial where a popular drug was compared with a placebo found it worked no better at maintaining pregnancy after the initial bout of preterm labour is halted.

26 Nov 2008

Pregnancy and fertility following bariatric surgery

Women who undergo weight-loss surgery, known as bariatric surgery, and later become pregnant after losing weight may be at lower risk for pregnancy-related diabetes and high blood pressure-- complications that can seriously affect the mother or her baby--than pregnant women who are obese, according to new findings from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality that are published in the November 19 issue of JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association.

24 Nov 2008

Low birth weight a risk factor for focal segmental glomerulosclerosis

Individuals who were underweight at birth are at increased risk of developing a condition called secondary focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, according to a study appearing in the January 2009 issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society Nephrology ( CJASN ).

19 Nov 2008

Pregnancy and fertility following bariatric surgery

Women who undergo weight-loss surgery, known as bariatric surgery, and later become pregnant after losing weight may be at lower risk for pregnancy-related diabetes and high blood pressure - complications that can seriously affect the mother or her baby - than pregnant women who are obese, according to new findings from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality that are published in the November 19 issue of JAMA.

19 Nov 2008

Link found between cryptorchidism and genetic mutations

A small percentage of males born with cryptorchidism (failure of one or both testicles to descend into the scrotum), the most frequent congenital birth defect in male children, are more likely to have genetic mutations, including for a syndrome that is a common genetic cause of infertility, according to a study in the November 19 issue of JAMA .

18 Nov 2008

Risk of maternal and newborn complications may be lower after bariatric surgery

A review of previously published studies suggests that rates of adverse outcomes for mothers or pregnant women and newborn babies, such as gestational diabetes and low birth weight, may be lower after bariatric surgery compared with pregnant women who are obese, according to an article in the November 19 issue of JAMA.

18 Nov 2008

Scientists create therapy programme to treat depression in women in developing countries

Although depression is a major health problem world-wide, experts say its impact is greatest in developing countries where 80% of the population live. Often there are no resources available to treat sufferers.

11 Nov 2008

Australian Chinese team effort shows iron could save the lives of China's children

A team effort between Australian and Chinese scientists could save the lives of many Chinese babies.

10 Nov 2008

Study improves recovery for mothers with depression

Scientists at the University of Liverpool have developed a therapy programme to treat depression in women in developing countries.

10 Nov 2008

Iron is the key to reducing infant mortality in China

A team of investigators from the Xi'an Jiaotong University, and The George Institute for International Health and the School of Public Health, the University of Sydney, have been involved in a new study in China that has revealed the significant impact of iron supplements during pregnancy on preventing deaths in infants under four weeks of age.

7 Nov 2008

Caffeine intake during pregnancy

Consuming caffeine at any time during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of fetal growth restriction (low birth weight), according to research published on bmj.com.

3 Nov 2008

Pregnant women told to keep coffee down to two a day

Pregnant women in Britain have been given new guidelines about drinking coffee - the new guidelines issued by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) say pregnant women should cut their caffeine intake and drink no more than two cups of coffee or four cups of tea a day.

3 Nov 2008