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Prenatal cannabis exposure could have important effects on brain development in infants

Compared with unexposed children, those who were prenatally exposed to cannabis had a thicker prefrontal cortex, a region of the brain involved in complex cognition, decision-making, and working memory.

20 Jun 2016

Study evaluates rate of depression in mothers based on different onset times

Postpartum depression--a household term since actress Brooke Shields went public in 2005 about her struggle with it--is indeed serious. But depression that begins before or during pregnancy is often more severe because it lasts longer and usually goes undetected until the doctor screens for it after the birth of the baby, according to a new Northwestern Medicine study.

16 Jun 2016

Blood pressure medications can lower stroke, heart attack risk in patients with end-stage renal disease

Two classes of blood pressure medications, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs), are associated with a 16% lower risk of strokes, heart attacks and death in patients with end-stage renal disease who are undergoing peritoneal dialysis, a new study in the journal, Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation, reports.

15 Jun 2016

Maternal stress exposure can have major effect on child’s development and future health

The environment the unborn child is exposed to inside the womb can have a major effect on her or his development and future health. Maternal stress during pregnancy can be transmitted biologically to the unborn child.

9 Jun 2016

Study finds link between late onset of puberty and subsequent semen quality in men

A new study from Rigshospitalet and EDMaRC finds a strong association between late onset of puberty and subsequent semen quality. This is the first study of its kind to investigate the influence of pubertal timing on male reproductive health.

9 Jun 2016

Prenatal mild viral assault may cause central nervous system malfunctions in children

Babies born to mothers whose immune systems had to grapple with a viral assault -- even a mild one -- have increased risk of brain and central nervous system abnormalities, according to a new study.

2 Jun 2016

Recent research gives more insight into genetics of FASD

In 1973, a group of birth defects associated with prenatal ethanol exposure was clinically recognized as Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). Since then, scientists have come to realize that alcohol can cause a wide range of birth defects; these are collectively referred to as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD).

1 Jun 2016

Prenatal fruit consumption linked to improved cognitive development in infants

Most people have heard the old adage "an apple a day keeps the doctor away." It's an old truth that encompasses more than just apples--eating fruit in general is well known to reduce risk for a wide variety of health conditions such as heart disease and stroke.

26 May 2016

Prenatal exposure to SSRIs linked to lower birth weight, gestational length

A new study, published today in the International Journal of Epidemiology, has found that prenatal exposure to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) has a significant association with lower birth weight and gestational length.

17 May 2016

Pre-existing maternal diabetes still major risk factor for congenital heart defects

The strong influence of pre-pregnancy diabetes on the likelihood of women giving birth to babies with congenital heart defects has not lessened over recent decades, say researchers.

14 May 2016

Genes linked to educational attainment expressed in the brain during prenatal development

An international group of 253 scientists has conducted one of the largest genetic studies to date and identified 74 genetic variants that are associated with the years of formal education that an individual completes.

13 May 2016

Maternal stress, depression during pregnancy may activate protective mechanisms in infants

Maternal stress and depression during pregnancy may activate certain protective mechanisms in babies. Psychologists from the University of Basel together with international colleagues report that certain epigenetic adaptations in newborns suggest this conclusion.

13 May 2016

Mouse models of Zika virus infection in pregnancy provide basis to develop vaccines, treatments

Two mouse models of Zika virus infection in pregnancy have been developed by a team of researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. In them, the virus migrated from the pregnant mouse's bloodstream into the placenta, where it multiplied, then spread into the fetal circulation and infected the brains of the developing pups.

12 May 2016

New study finds link between prenatal SSRI use and umbilical cord length

Umbilical cords of children whose mothers used selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors during pregnancy may be longer than umbilical cords of other newborn children, shows a new study from the University of Eastern Finland and Kuopio University Hospital. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, SSRIs, are commonly prescribed antidepressants, and this is the first time their association with umbilical cord length was observed.

9 May 2016

Study hints at new therapeutic approach to mitigate effects of prenatal Zika virus infection

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently concluded that Zika virus infection in pregnant women can stunt neonatal brain development, leading to babies born with abnormally small heads, a condition known as microcephaly. Now, for the first time, researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine have determined one way Zika infection can damage developing brain cells.

9 May 2016

PHE renews contract for Down's, Edwards' and Patau's syndromes antenatal screening programme

Public Health England has renewed its contract with Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry to provide the Down's syndrome screening Quality Assurance Support Service for its Down's, Edwards' and Patau's syndromes antenatal screening programme in England.

9 May 2016

Enzyme previously thought beneficial could pose threat to developing embryos

A pair of Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation scientists have discovered that an enzyme previously thought only to be beneficial could, in fact, pose significant danger to developing embryos. The new research could have implications not only for prenatal development but also for treating lymphedema and liver damage resulting from acetaminophen overdose.

5 May 2016

High-fructose diet during pregnancy may affect fetal growth

Consuming a high-fructose diet during pregnancy may cause defects in the placenta and restrict fetal growth, potentially increasing a baby's risk for metabolic health problems later in life, according to research in mice and people by a team at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

5 May 2016

Studies on role of vitamin A in heart health have drawn opposite conclusions

Vitamin A is involved in many bodily processes, including vision and skin health, but its role in the heart is unclear. While vitamin A is critical for heart development of embryos—vitamin A deficiency during pregnancy leads to an abnormal heart and prenatal death—studies on vitamin A's role in heart health have drawn opposite conclusions.

29 Apr 2016

Researchers gain new insights into female pelvis development

Women have wider hips than men because their pelves must allow for the birth of large-brained babies. Nevertheless, many female pelves are still not wide enough, which can result in difficult births. Traditionally, the human pelvis has been considered an evolutionary compromise between birthing and walking upright; a wider pelvis would compromise efficient bipedal locomotion. But this hypothesis has now been called into question: According to new studies, wide hips do not reduce locomotor efficiency.

26 Apr 2016

Prenatal News and Research

Prenatal cannabis exposure could have important effects on brain development in infants

Study evaluates rate of depression in mothers based on different onset times

Blood pressure medications can lower stroke, heart attack risk in patients with end-stage renal disease

Maternal stress exposure can have major effect on child’s development and future health

Study finds link between late onset of puberty and subsequent semen quality in men

Prenatal mild viral assault may cause central nervous system malfunctions in children

Recent research gives more insight into genetics of FASD

Prenatal fruit consumption linked to improved cognitive development in infants

Prenatal exposure to SSRIs linked to lower birth weight, gestational length

Pre-existing maternal diabetes still major risk factor for congenital heart defects

Genes linked to educational attainment expressed in the brain during prenatal development

Maternal stress, depression during pregnancy may activate protective mechanisms in infants

Mouse models of Zika virus infection in pregnancy provide basis to develop vaccines, treatments

New study finds link between prenatal SSRI use and umbilical cord length

Study hints at new therapeutic approach to mitigate effects of prenatal Zika virus infection

PHE renews contract for Down's, Edwards' and Patau's syndromes antenatal screening programme

Enzyme previously thought beneficial could pose threat to developing embryos

High-fructose diet during pregnancy may affect fetal growth

Studies on role of vitamin A in heart health have drawn opposite conclusions

Researchers gain new insights into female pelvis development

Bringing real-time analytics to downstream bioprocess monitoring

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

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