Conception News and Research

RSS

Coronavirus infection during pregnancy may double the risk of poor outcomes

A Kaiser Permanente analysis of pregnant patients who tested positive for the coronavirus found more than double the risk of poor outcomes including preterm birth, venous thromboembolism (blood clot), and severe maternal morbidity, which includes conditions such as acute respiratory distress syndrome and sepsis.

21 Mar 2022

Weight loss does not provide fertility benefits, study finds

Women who are obese and struggling to become pregnant are often advised to lose weight, but a new study finds no fertility benefits from weight loss.

14 Mar 2022

Anti-Müllerian hormone plays an active role in polycystic ovary syndrome

High levels of anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) have traditionally been thought of as merely a passive byproduct of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), but a new preclinical study by Weill Cornell Medicine researchers suggests that the hormone plays an active role in the disorder and may contribute to problems with ovulation and fertility.

10 Mar 2022

Researchers come one step closer to reversing the destructive aging process in egg cells

Throughout much of the world, increasing numbers of women are delaying having their first child until they are in their late thirties, and even into their forties.

8 Mar 2022

$20 million scientific research initiative focuses on disparities in maternal-infant heart health

Poor heart health, especially among women of color, puts both mothers-to-be and their infants at risk, with heart disease causing more than one in four pregnancy-related deaths (26.5%) in the U.S., according to the American Heart Association Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics 2022 Update.

6 Mar 2022

Blood groups play a key role in whether people develop severe COVID-19, study suggests

A new study has analyzed over 3000 proteins to identify which are causally linked to the development of severe COVID-19.

3 Mar 2022

Research shows intergenerational effects of preconception opioids in male offspring rats

New research from scientists at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University suggests opioid use before pregnancy-; even if not used during pregnancy itself-; could result in a higher likelihood that a mother's male offspring will develop type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome, conditions that increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.

28 Feb 2022

Why pregnant people were left behind while vaccines moved at ‘warp speed’ to help the masses

Kia Slade was seven months pregnant, unvaccinated, and fighting for breath, her oxygen levels plummeting, when her son came into the world last May.

24 Feb 2022

Periconceptional maternal smoking associated with delay in embryonic development

Smoking by mothers during the period immediately before and after conception is linked to a delay in embryonic development, smaller foetuses at the time of the 20-week ultrasound scan, and lower birth weight.

23 Feb 2022

Childhood obesity more likely to be influenced by lifestyle factors than mother's BMI

Researchers from the University of Bristol and Imperial College London have found that a high Body Mass Index (BMI) of a mother before and during pregnancy is not a major cause of high BMI in their offspring – indicating that childhood and teen obesity is more likely to be a result of lifestyle factors.

1 Feb 2022

COVID-19 vaccine does not lead to infertility in either men or women

In a recent prospective cohort study accepted to the American Journal of Epidemiology, researchers observed links between female and male coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and fecundability or the per-cycle likelihood of conception in North American couples seeking to conceive.

26 Jan 2022

COVID-19 vaccination does not impair fertility, suggests BU study

New findings by Boston University School of Public Health investigators indicate that COVID-19 vaccination does not impair fertility-;but males who become infected by the coronavirus may experience short-term reduced fertility.

21 Jan 2022

COVID-19 vaccination does not appear to impair fertility, study says

COVID-19 vaccination does not affect the chances of conceiving a child, according to a study of more than 2,000 couples that was funded by the National Institutes of Health.

20 Jan 2022

Preconception weight loss may not increase obese woman's chances of delivering a healthy baby

Health care professionals often encourage women with obesity to lose weight prior to trying to conceive or start infertility treatments.

18 Jan 2022

Mother’s unhealthy diet before pregnancy could increase risk of obesity for their children

New research led by the University of Southampton shows supporting women to eat a healthy diet pre-pregnancy could reduce risk of obesity for their children.

22 Dec 2021

A Day in the Life of a Medical Devices Expert

In this interview, we spoke to Karl Leinsing, a medical devices expert, about his day-to-day roles and responsibilities as well as his career highlights.

17 Dec 2021

Maternal morbidities and outcomes in pregnant women with COVID-19

Researchers aimed to determine whether maternal morbidities and adverse obstetrical outcomes were more frequent in pregnant women with COVID-19.

5 Dec 2021

Study uncovers major disparities in preferred HIV medication uptake in low- and middle-income countries

A new study uncovered large and persistent disparities by sex and age in the uptake of a preferred HIV medication in low- and middle-income countries, potentially subjecting some women to worse HIV treatment outcomes if the situation is not corrected quickly.

30 Nov 2021

Telehealth-delivered exercise and weight loss program for people with knee osteoarthritis or obesity

A randomized trial found that video-based, telehealth-delivered exercise and weight loss programs with online educational support improved pain and function in people with knee osteoarthritis and overweight or obesity.