Prenatal News and Research

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Mothers must heal physically and psychologically from the first stillbirth before conceiving again

Women who experience a stillbirth in their first pregnancy may be at higher risk for complications or adverse outcomes in their next pregnancy, according to a Kaiser Permanente study that appears online in the October issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

3 Oct 2009

Study reveals disproportionately higher rate of primary c-sections among African-American women

A study released by Kaiser Permanente indicates that while the rate of cesarean-section (CS) deliveries for first-time moms has continued to increase over the last ten years, there is a disproportionately higher rate of primary c-sections among African-American women.

3 Oct 2009

Raptor Pharmaceutical appoints Llew Keltner to its board of directors

Raptor Pharmaceutical Corp. ("Raptor" or the "Company") (Nasdaq: RPTPD), today announced the appointment of Llew Keltner, M.D., Ph.D., to the Company's board of directors. Dr. Keltner is currently CEO and President of Light Sciences Oncology, a privately-held biotechnology company developing a late-stage, light-activated therapy for hepatocellular cancer and other solid tumors.

1 Oct 2009

Fetal exposure to H1N1 flu can increase risk of heart disease

People exposed to a H1NI strain of influenza A while in utero were significantly more likely to have cardiovascular disease later in life, reveals a new study to be published in Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease on Oct. 1.

1 Oct 2009

AP examines low- cost lobbying effort for birthing centers

The Associated Press/The Boston Globe reports on Karen Fennell, a lobbyist who lacks the typical "fat expense account and clients paying six-figure fees," but has still managed to secure "some coveted federal money" for her clients: birthing centers. "How she did it is a case study in how Washington's influence game can work, even for those without bottomless checkbooks. She cultivated key allies in Congress, crafted an argument that aligns with the prevailing political winds, and represents a constituency no lawmaker could shun: mothers-to-be."

30 Sep 2009

Physicians should implement new measures while diagnosing prenatal Down syndrome

New prenatal tests for Down syndrome are soon to be offered to all pregnant women across the United States, yet telling an expectant couple that their child will be born with Down syndrome is a task very few physicians are trained for, claims research published in the American Journal of Medical Genetics.

28 Sep 2009

Exposure to PCE may cause congenital birth defects: Study

Exposure to tetrachloroethylene (also known as perchlorethylene, PCE) may cause congenital birth defects. A study of expectant women exposed to PCE in drinking water, published in BioMed Central's open access journal Environmental Health, found an increased risk of oral clefts and neural tube defects in their children.

24 Sep 2009

eHealthInsurance's key questions to help women purchase health insurance plans

eHealthInsurance, the leading online source of health insurance for individuals, families and small businesses, today released a list of answers to questions frequently asked by women who call its customer care center. The customer care center includes a call center staffed with licensed insurance agents.

15 Sep 2009

Report on the epidemiology, cause and risk factors of asthma

An article on the epidemiology, cause and risk factors of asthma is the first in a special report on asthma in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) designed for clinical practitioners. This review looks at risk factors for persistent asthma at different ages, including prenatal, infancy, childhood and adulthood.

15 Sep 2009

Prenatal testing helps to bring down the birth rate of babies with Down syndrome

With new prenatal tests for Down syndrome on the horizon promising to be safer, more accurate, and available to women earlier in pregnancy, the medical community must come together and engage in dialogue about the impact of existing and expected tests, argues a new leading article published Online First by Archives of Disease in Childhood.

14 Sep 2009

New protocol to tackle postpartum depression

Up to 80 percent of women experience depressive symptoms postpartum, with one in eight reporting the emergence of major depression within weeks of delivery.

10 Sep 2009

Promega unveils Maxwell 16 Viral Total Nucleic Acid Purification Kit

Promega announces the release of the Maxwell 16 Viral Total Nucleic Acid Purification Kit which, among other labs, currently serves the OCA Hospital in Mexico for H1N1 clinical research.

10 Sep 2009

Reliable and relevant information needed to rein in the costs of federal health-care programs, says study

For economists and policy-makers to understand the true value of the costs and savings of preventive health programs for chronic disease, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) should incorporate long-term clinical outcomes data and look beyond the 10-year window when making cost estimates, says a team of University of Chicago researchers in today's issue of Health Affairs.

3 Sep 2009

Thermo Fisher Scientific to acquire B.R.A.H.M.S. for $470 million

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE: TMO), the world leader in serving science, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire B.R.A.H.M.S. AG for €330 million (approximately $470 million USD). B.R.A.H.M.S. is a leading provider of specialty in-vitro diagnostic tests based on its patented biomarkers for sepsis, cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases, as well as intensive care treatments and prenatal screening.

From Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. 3 Sep 2009

Insecticide-treated bed nets prevent infant deaths from malaria

Giving insecticide-treated bed nets to nearly 18,000 mothers at prenatal clinics in the Democratic Republic of Congo prevented an estimated 414 infant deaths from malaria, a study by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill researchers concludes.

3 Sep 2009

PacifiCord to start its fifth free prenatal class in Southern California

Dedicated to serving the private cord blood banking needs of Southern California, PacifiCord (www.pacificord.com) today announced it will be offering free prenatal classes in Temecula starting September 21, 2009.

31 Aug 2009

Virginia Health Information publishes online guide containing information about obstetrical services in Virginia

Childbirth accounts for one in every four hospital discharges in Virginia. Virginia Health Information -- Virginia's source for health care data -- has published an updated, free, interactive online guide containing information on the quality and charges for obstetrical services in Virginia.

29 Aug 2009

Research reveals the life-long detrimental impact of maternal smoking during pregnancy

A new study by researchers at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC) has found that the life-long effects of maternal smoking during pregnancy may occur through specific changes in DNA patterns.

25 Aug 2009

PacifiCord to conduct free prenatal classes in San Diego from September 2009

25 Aug 2009

Increased testosterone levels boost appetite and career choices in women

The battle of the sexes rages on, this time from the trading floor. While there has long been debate about the social and biological differences between men and women, new research by the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and the University of Chicago's Department of Comparative Human Development explores how the hormone testosterone plays an important role in gender differences in financial risk aversion and career choice.

24 Aug 2009