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Researchers identify a way to block Listeria infections

University of Queensland researchers have unlocked a way of fighting Listeria infections, which can cause severe illness in pregnant women and people with compromised immune systems.

23 Jan 2022

Government launches new advertising campaign urging pregnant women to 'Get Boosted Now'

Pregnant women who have not yet had their first, second, third or booster dose of a COVID-19 vaccine are being urged to get their jab as soon as possible, as the government launches a new advertising campaign for the New Year.

9 Jan 2022

Study sheds light on how the immune system behaves during pregnancy

Pregnancy is a challenge for the mother's immune system from the outset. Half of the genes in the fetus are foreign to her body.

29 Dec 2021

CDC investigates Listeria outbreaks linked to packaged salads

CDC is currently investigating two separate Listeria outbreaks, both of which are linked to packaged salads. One outbreak is linked to packaged salads produced by Fresh Express.

23 Dec 2021

Parents, siblings of children with life-threatening conditions have higher rates of healthcare encounters

Being the parent or sibling of a child with a life-threatening condition can take a mental and physical toll on other members of the family.

20 Dec 2021

Covid shots for kids are scarce — and demand is mixed — in rural Montana

When children ages 5 to 11 were approved for Pfizer's lower-dose pediatric covid-19 vaccine in November, Annie Edwards was eager to get her daughter Hannah, then 5, the shot because of underlying health conditions she has stemming from her premature birth.

16 Dec 2021

Maternal anemia during pregnancy may increase risk of childhood anemia

Babies born to women with anemia during pregnancy have an increased risk of childhood anemia, according to a study carried out in rural India.

2 Dec 2021

Experts urge pregnant women to get COVID-19 vaccine following new UK safety data

The country's top doctors and medical experts are urging pregnant women to get their COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible, as new data published by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) today [November Thursday 25] provides further evidence that the vaccines are safe for this group.

25 Nov 2021

Will the future of global health rely upon addressing air pollution?

We speak to Dr. Philip Landrigan about his latest research into air pollution and how African countries are in a prime position to take action against it.

12 Nov 2021

Study finds high rates of asphyxia-associated neonatal mortality in poorer parts of São Paulo state

Researchers who analyzed data for São Paulo state, Brazil, found the highest rates of newborn mortality from asphyxia in cities in the south, southeast and north of the state between 2004 and 2013.

10 Nov 2021

Scientists testify the importance of timely influenza vaccination

With flu season approaching in the United States, new research from an international team of scientists testifies to the importance of timely vaccination

15 Oct 2021

Poor timing of flu vaccinations associated with poor birth outcomes and cesarean births

With flu season approaching in the United States, new research from an international team of scientists testifies to the importance of timely vaccination: Poor timing of influenza vaccination campaigns in the semi-arid region of Brazil led to an increase in premature births, lower birth-weight babies and the need to deliver more babies by cesarean section, the researchers found.

13 Oct 2021

More severe SARS-CoV-2 infection associated with greater risk of preterm birth

Researchers at the Wayne State University School of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health's Perinatology Research Branch in Detroit have discovered that the more severely infected with COVID-19 a mother is, the more likely she is to experience preterm birth.

8 Oct 2021

Smoking during pregnancy increases risk of birth defects and neurological disorders

Mothers who smoke are more likely to deliver smaller babies even after a full-term pregnancy, increasing the risks of birth defects and neurological disorders later in life, say researchers from McGill University.

21 Sep 2021

Enzyme appears to be a major driver of dangerous pregnancy complication

A new study by UT Southwestern scientists indicates that an enzyme called protein phosphatase 2 (PP2A) appears to be a major driver of preeclampsia, a dangerous pregnancy complication characterized by the development of high blood pressure and excess protein in the urine.

9 Sep 2021

Association between COVID-19 mitigation measures and preterm birth rate in China

A new study published in British Medical Journal Global Health addresses the effect of COVID-19 mitigation measures on the preterm birth rate in China.

31 Aug 2021

Study examines impact of COVID pandemic on birth outcomes in Wales

Researchers in the UK have looked at the impact of the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic on the population birth outcomes in 2020, detailing the experiences of the expectant mothers from immunization rates for babies to self-reported levels of stress and anxiety in the mothers, compared to pre-COVID years.

25 Aug 2021

Child mortality in England dropped significantly during COVID-19 pandemic

In a study conducted at Cardiff University and the University of Bristol, UK, scientists have observed that in England, the all-cause child mortality rate has dropped significantly during the first year of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic compared to that in the pre-pandemic year. The highest reduction in mortality rate has been observed in children under the age of 10 years. The study is currently available on the medRxiv* preprint server.

25 Aug 2021

Scientists make AI breakthrough in neonatal intensive care

James Cook University scientists in Australia believe they have made a breakthrough in the science of keeping premature babies alive.

25 Jun 2021

Lack of contraception data could conceal pandemic’s impact on women’s reproductive health

Limited data on the uptake of contraception prior to and during crises such as the Covid-19 pandemic could mean unforeseen issues for sexual and reproductive health services, research from the University of Warwick concludes.

17 Jun 2021