Birth Defects News and Research

RSS

Nitrogen-rich diet reduces mosquitoes' ability to transmit Zika

Feed mosquitoes more nitrogen when they're young, and the adults are less likely to transmit the Zika virus, University of Florida scientists say. Now, researchers want to know why, and they're determined to discover how the findings can help further their research into the dangerous virus.

24 Jun 2019

Study finds no link between infant deaths and exposure to waste incinerators

Researchers have found no link between exposure to emissions from municipal waste incinerators and infant deaths or reduced foetal growth.

21 Jun 2019

Study focuses on the recurrence of developmental disorder in future pregnancies

Having a child with a developmental disorder can cause parents to worry about the outcome of further pregnancies.

17 Jun 2019

UK government to consider fortifying flour with folic acid to combat neural tube defects

A 12-week consultation has been launched to discuss whether folic acid should be added to flour in the UK.

13 Jun 2019

Trump administration cracks down on fetal tissue research

The Trump administration is cutting funding for fetal tissue research despite opposition from scientists and clinicians.

10 Jun 2019

Study finds no increased risk of congenital anomalies in children of fathers treated for testicular cancer

New research has found no increased risk of congenital malformations associated with treatment with radiotherapy or chemotherapy in children of fathers with testicular cancer.

From PLOS ONE 6 Jun 2019

Texas Biomed awarded $2 million DOD grant to study promising Zika vaccine

The emerging Zika virus is a particular threat to pregnant women. The disease can be transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito and is associated with devastating birth defects, like microcephaly. No approved vaccine against the virus exists.

3 Jun 2019

Air pollution associated with high risks for birth defects

A study came from the Texas A&M University researchers that shows that the harmful particulate matter present in the atmosphere due to air pollution could lead to birth defects and even still births during pregnancy.

29 May 2019

Fainting during pregnancy could be more serious than earlier believed finds study

Fainting spells especially early in the pregnancy could indicate health problems for the mother and baby later says a new study. Earlier short spells of black outs or syncope were considered to be normal during early pregnancy.

29 May 2019

Exposure to particulate matter can cause birth defects and fatalities during pregnancy

In a comprehensive study, researchers from Texas A&M University have determined that harmful particulate matter in the atmosphere can produce birth defects and even fatalities during pregnancy using the animal model.

28 May 2019

New statement emphasizes need for special multidisciplinary clinical programs

With a better understanding of how various heart conditions are inherited, and the availability of faster and less expensive genetic testing, there is need for more specialized multidisciplinary clinical programs that combine focused expertise in heart disease and genetics, according to a new statement from the American Heart Association, the world's leading voluntary organization focused on heart and brain health.

25 May 2019

LC-MS/MS test for progesterone outperforms traditional immunoassays

Researchers have devised a cheap, non-invasive and specific means to monitor progesterone production in women.

15 May 2019

Men who delay fatherhood put health of partners, unborn children at risk

Men who delay starting a family have a ticking "biological clock" -- just like women -- that may affect the health of their partners and children, according to Rutgers researchers.

13 May 2019

‘Eat nuts three times a week’ during pregnancy to improve your child's I.Q.

Eating nuts during early pregnancy may boost a child’s cognitive ability and I.Q., according to a new study by researchers in Spain.

8 May 2019

Sunscreens can work their way into the bloodstream

Sunscreens are one of the most essential means to protect oneself from the harmful UV rays of the sun and protect oneself from skin cancer. Skin cancer, say health officials, remains one of the most common cancers diagnosed in the United States.

7 May 2019

Long-standing immunosuppressive drug reduces Zika birth defects in mice

In experiments with pregnant mice infected with the Zika virus, Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers report they have successfully used a long-standing immunosuppressive drug to diminish the rate of fetal deaths and birth defects in the mice's offspring.

From Johns Hopkins Medicine 7 May 2019

Study: Child and adolescent health improved but maternal mortality worsened in the U.S.

The United States is one of only eight countries in the world where decreases in child and adolescent mortality over a 27-year period haven't also been matched by reductions in maternal mortality, according to a new scientific study.

30 Apr 2019

Biologists unravel new role for nervous system in regeneration

Biologists at Tufts University have developed a computational model of planarian (flatworm) regeneration that explains how fragments of planaria determine which end should form a tail and which should form a head.

25 Apr 2019

New imaging technology will improve understanding of embryonic development

Soon after conception, an embryo's circulatory system connects to that of its mother. Complications that occur at this critical time can result in miscarriage or birth defects with long-term chronic conditions.

9 Apr 2019

FDA approves two-drug complete regimen for previously untreated HIV-infected adults

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Dovato (dolutegravir and lamivudine), as a complete regimen for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection in adults with no antiretroviral treatment history and with no known or suspected substitutions associated with resistance to the individual components of Dovato.

9 Apr 2019