Birth Defects News and Research

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People with Down syndrome are living longer, but the health system still treats many as kids

It took Samantha Lesmeister's family four months to find a medical professional who could see that she was struggling with something more than her Down syndrome.

17 Apr 2023

Male alcohol consumption before conception causes facial growth defects in offspring

According to the U.S. Surgeon General, women should not drink alcoholic beverages during pregnancy because of the risk of birth defects in their unborn child.

12 Apr 2023

People conceived by IVF are not at increased risk of obstetric or perinatal complications, study finds

There's little evidence to suggest that children conceived as a result of fertility treatment are at any greater risk of pregnancy complications or worse birth outcomes than their naturally conceived peers, finds a long-term study, published in the open access journal BMJ Medicine.

21 Mar 2023

Scientists study how maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy affects child’s brain development

Scientists led by the Lieber Institute for Brain Development are studying how a mother's SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy affects the biology of the placenta and the corresponding trajectory of the child's brain development, including the risk for neurodevelopmental disorders such as schizophrenia and autism.

13 Mar 2023

In utero exposure to anti-nausea drug shown to increase risk of adult-onset colorectal cancer

Prenatal exposure to an anti-nausea drug commonly used in the 1960s and 1970s has been shown to increase risk of colorectal cancer in adult offspring, according to a study by researchers at UTHealth Houston.

10 Mar 2023

For young people on Medicare, a hysterectomy sometimes is more affordable than birth control

Sam Chavarría said her doctor was clear about the birth defects her medication could cause if she became pregnant but agreed to keep her on it as long as she had an IUD.

7 Mar 2023

Researchers investigate the potential effect of folic acid supplementation on DNA mutation rates

It is well established that folic acid supplementation can significantly reduce the risk of birth defects, including neural tube defects like spina bifida, the most common birth defect of the central nervous system and the second most common of all structural birth defects.

6 Mar 2023

Women and girls are disproportionately affected by climate change

The adverse effects of climate change have impacted numerous areas of human health and well-being. In most parts of the world, women are least able to mitigate such changes, so they are an appropriate focus in a recent research paper.

19 Feb 2023

Understanding neural crest cell development will help to better comprehend craniofacial birth defects

Craniofacial birth defects, including cleft lip and palate, are among the most common human congenital malformations.

16 Feb 2023

Computer software can predict what happens when certain gene networks are disrupted

Computer software developed at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis can predict what happens to complex gene networks when individual genes are missing or dialed up more than usual.

9 Feb 2023

UT Southwestern physician-scientist wins NIH award to support heart regeneration research

UT Southwestern physician-scientist Hesham Sadek, M.D., Ph.D., has received the prestigious National Institutes of Health Outstanding Investigator Award to support his ongoing research into mechanisms behind heart regeneration that could lead to treatments for heart failure.

30 Jan 2023

Research evaluates neonatal outcomes of pregnancies complicated by maternal obesity

A recent study discusses the association of maternal body mass index in pregnancy with neonatal outcomes.

25 Jan 2023

Gene editing could offer a promising solution for treating patients after a heart attack

Editing a gene that prompts a cascade of damage after a heart attack appeared to reverse this inevitable course in mice, leaving their hearts remarkably unharmed, a new study by UT Southwestern scientists showed.

20 Jan 2023

COVID-19 is changing behaviors related to how people are exposed to household chemicals

COVID-19 is changing household behaviors related to how we are exposed to various household chemicals linked to poor health outcomes.

18 Jan 2023

Three genes found to be directly associated with cleft lip and palate

Researchers are finding more genes directly associated with cleft lip and palate.

11 Jan 2023

'Epigenetic fingerprints' of prenatal alcohol exposure could be biomarkers to detect developmental disorders

Alcohol exposure in early pregnancy can change gene function during the tightly regulated embryonic development, and consequently cause developmental disorders - especially neurodevelopmental disorders.

3 Jan 2023

Mutations responsible for common inherited heart condition corrected using CRISPR-Cas9 therapy

Using the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing system, UT Southwestern researchers corrected mutations responsible for a common inherited heart condition called dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in human cells and a mouse model of the disease.

21 Dec 2022

Researchers discover how segmentation clock genes instruct the tempo of spine formation

One of the most dramatic phases of fetal development occurs as previously unstructured collections of rapidly dividing precursor cells begin forming the embryo's spine.

15 Dec 2022

UQ-led project uses 'brain in a dish' to study effects of the Zika virus

A University of Queensland-led project has used a 'brain in a dish' to study the effects of the Zika virus, taking research a step closer towards developing drugs to combat the infection.

12 Dec 2022

To attract in-home caregivers, California offers paid training — and self-care

One November afternoon, Chris Espedal asked a group of caregivers — all of whom work with people who have cognitive impairments, behavioral health issues, or complex physical needs — to describe what happens when their work becomes too much to bear.

9 Dec 2022