Amniotic Fluid News and Research

RSS

First fetoscopic laser procedure to correct Twin-Twin Transfusion syndrome performed in Dallas

Jessica and Chad Browning were ecstatic last fall when they learned they were expecting twins. They had two children already, but wanted a third to round out their family. Twins were a bonus.

16 May 2011

Obese pregnant women are less able to fight infections

Pregnant women who are obese are less able to fight infections than lean women, which could affect their baby's health after birth and later in life, according to research to be presented Sunday, May 1, at the Pediatric Academic Societies annual meeting in Denver.

2 May 2011

Study finds abnormal fetal circulation as a risk factor for fetal thrombotic vasculopathy

Examination of the placenta can offer answers to the questions that arise following an adverse perinatal outcome, such as stillbirth or intrauterine growth restriction. A placental lesion known as fetal thrombotic vasculopathy (FTV) has been associated with a number of adverse outcomes. By studying placentas with this lesion, researchers hope to determine the risks of such serious complications that affect fetuses and newborns.

19 Apr 2011

Trial of non-invasive prenatal test to determine Down syndrome successful

At the moment, the only reliable way of diagnosing chromosomal irregularities during pregnancy is to use invasive prenatal methods. This causes miscarriage in about one per cent of these risky surgical procedures.

14 Apr 2011

Asymmetrical flattening of the skull increasing in infants and young children

The prevalence of plagiocephaly, a condition marked by an asymmetrical, flattening of the skull, appears to be increasing in infants and young children, according to a report posted online today that will appear in the August issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

5 Apr 2011

Now get a 3-D kidney printout to replace damaged kidneys: A regeneration science innovation

In what seems like science fiction, Dr. Anthony Atala, a regenerative medicine specialist at Wake Forest University, is pioneering the use of printing techniques to reconstruct and repair human flesh and organs. His basis is a combination of cultured human cells and scaffolding built or woven from organic material.

7 Mar 2011

Texas Children's scientist receives CAREER Award for congenital heart research

Texas Children's Hospital in Houston announces that a researcher in its Pediatric Cardiac Bioengineering Laboratory has earned a National Science Foundation Early Career Development Award for his work in studying the causes of congenital heart disease, heart defects, and the development of tissue engineering therapies using stem cells derived from human amniotic fluid.

19 Feb 2011

Third trimester amniotic fluid a reliable source of stem cells

In a study that was presented at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine's annual meeting in San Francisco, Biocell Center, the leader in amniotic fluid banking, together with a group of collaborators, confirmed that amniotic fluid collected during the third trimester of pregnancy is a reliable source of stem cells for regenerative medicine and stem cell banking.

17 Feb 2011

New study: Fetal surgery for spina bifida greatly improves child's mobility

Performing delicate surgery in the womb, months before birth, can substantially improve outcomes for children with a common, disabling birth defect of the spine. Experts at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia co-led a new landmark study showing that fetal surgery for spina bifida greatly reduces the need to divert fluid from the brain, improves mobility and improves the chances that a child will be able to walk independently.

9 Feb 2011

Banned chemicals found in pregnant women

The bodies of virtually all U.S. pregnant women carry multiple chemicals, including some banned since the 1970s and others used in common products such as non-stick cookware, processed foods and personal care products, according to a new study from UCSF. The study marks the first time that the number of chemicals to which pregnant women are exposed has been counted.

14 Jan 2011

Odors in womb sensitize fetus to smells, alters brain development

A major new study shows that a pregnant mother's diet not only sensitizes the fetus to those smells and flavors, but physically changes the brain directly impacting what the infant eats and drinks in the future.

1 Dec 2010

Reprogrammed amniotic fluid cells can generate iPS cells

Reprogrammed amniotic fluid cells can generate all types of body cells. High hopes rest on stem cells: one day, they may be used to treat many diseases. To date, embryos are the main source of these cells, but this raises ethical problems. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics in Berlin have now managed to convert amniotic fluid cells into pluripotent stem cells.

20 Nov 2010

New research center to study effects of BPA, phthalates on children

A new research center based at the University of Illinois will investigate whether regular exposure to bisphenol A and phthalates - chemicals widely used in plastics and other consumer products - can alter infant and adolescent development, cognition or behavior.

22 Oct 2010

FDA approves Herceptin with chemotherapy for HER2-positive metastatic cancer

Genentech, a member of the Roche Group today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Herceptin (trastuzumab) in combination with chemotherapy (cisplatin plus either capecitabine or 5-fluorouracil [5-FU]) for HER2-positive metastatic (cancer that has spread) cancer of the stomach or gastroesophageal junction, in men and women who have not received prior medicines for their metastatic disease.

21 Oct 2010

Cognizant Communication launches 'Cell Medicine' open access journal

A new and unique journal on cell transplantation aimed at helping translate laboratory findings into clinical applications is being launched by Cognizant Communication Corporation as a companion journal to Cell Transplantation. Cell Medicine, an online-only, open access journal, publishes research papers that promise to have direct clinical relevance. The journal is freely accessible at: http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/cog/cm.

30 Aug 2010

FDA denies accelerated approval of Genentech's trastuzumab-DM1 (T-DM1) BLA for metastatic breast cancer

In its review of the BLA, the FDA stated the T-DM1 trials did not meet the standard for accelerated approval because all available treatment choices approved for metastatic breast cancer, regardless of HER2 status, had not been exhausted in the study population.

27 Aug 2010

Certain proteins, genes play key role in regenerating lost body parts: Research

Another option may be on the horizon for patients who lose limbs due to war, accident, or disease. Instead of using artificial legs or arms, patients actually may regrow their own missing limbs. An article in the current issue of Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN), ACS' weekly newsmagazine, focuses on research efforts to turn the long-standing dream of human limb regeneration into reality.

5 Aug 2010

Amniocentesis and non-embryonic stem cells among list of "Huge Medical Breakthroughs"

Two key focus areas of Biocell Center, the nation's first amniotic fluid stem cell bank, have been recently mentioned among the most important medical discoveries of the last century. Amniocentesis and non-embryonic stem cells were among the list of "Huge Medical Breakthroughs" presented in an article by Althea Chang on Mainstreet.com, produced by TheStreet.com on June 29, 2010.

8 Jul 2010

Genentech submits BLA for trastuzumab-DM1 in advanced HER2-positive breast cancer

Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, today announced that the company submitted a Biologics License Application (BLA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for trastuzumab-DM1 (T-DM1) in people with advanced HER2-positive breast cancer who have previously received multiple HER2-targeted medicines and chemotherapies.

7 Jul 2010

Metabolon unveils novel approach to identify patients at preterm delivery risk

Metabolon, Inc., the leader in global metabolism, biomarker discovery and analysis, announces the publication of "Metabolomics in premature labor: a novel approach to identify patients at risk for preterm delivery", in The Journal of Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine.

3 Jul 2010