Prenatal News and Research

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Softening of the skull bones in normal-looking babies might reflect vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy

Softening of the skull bones in normal-looking babies might reflect vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy, according to a new study accepted for publication in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM).

26 Mar 2008

African-American women less likely to reduce drinking during pregnancy

New Saint Louis University research found that although white women are more likely to drink or binge drink prior to pregnancy, African-American women are less likely to reduce drinking during pregnancy, which may be linked to a higher rate of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) among the population.

20 Mar 2008

Genetic research unveils common origins for distinct clinical diagnoses

Researchers at Johns Hopkins have discovered that two clinically different inherited syndromes are in fact variations of the same disorder.

10 Mar 2008

Testosterone appears to protect people against eating disorders

Testosterone appears to protect people against eating disorders, providing further evidence that biological factors -- and not just social influences -- are linked to anorexia and bulimia, according to new research findings at Michigan State University.

4 Mar 2008

Depression linked to subsequent pregnancy in black teens

African American adolescent mothers who have symptoms of depression may be more likely to have a subsequent pregnancy within two years of giving birth, according to a report in the March issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

4 Mar 2008

Black babies with very low birth weights more likely to be born in hospitals with high neonatal death rates

In New York City, black babies with very low birth weights (less than 1,500 grams, or 3 pounds, 5 ounces) are more likely to be born in hospitals with high risk-adjusted neonatal death rates, according to a Commonwealth Fund-supported study in the March issue of Pediatrics.

4 Mar 2008

Decline in cystic fibrosis since introduction of prenatal carrier screening

A brief report in the February 28, 2008, New England Journal of Medicine, led by researchers at the New England Newborn Screening Program (NENSP) of the University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS), indicates a declining incidence of a genetic disease, providing what may be the first demonstration of a link between two independent population-based screening programs.

28 Feb 2008

Wyeth wins Maryland thimerosal autism case

Wyeth has announced that The Honorable Stuart R. Berger of the Circuit Court for Baltimore City in Baltimore, Maryland, has granted Wyeth's motion for summary judgment in the case of Blackwell, et al. v. Sigma Aldrich, Inc., et al - an alleged vaccine injury case claiming that Jamarr Blackwell's exposure to thimerosal-containing vaccines caused him to become autistic.

20 Feb 2008

Poor women more likely to suffer from postpartum depression

Poor women in Iowa are much more likely to suffer from postpartum depression than their wealthier counterparts, a new University of Iowa study shows.

20 Feb 2008

Some cases of autism may be traced to the immune system of mothers during pregnancy

New research from the UC Davis M.I.N.D. Institute and Center for Children's Environmental Health has found that antibodies in the blood of mothers of children with autism bind to fetal brain cells, potentially interrupting healthy brain development.

12 Feb 2008

Prenatal exposure to maternal antibodies linked to autistic behaviors in offspring

New research from the UC Davis M.I.N.D. Institute shows that an interaction between fetal brain cells and maternal antibodies could be linked with the repetitive behavior - also called stereotypies - that is characteristic of autism.

12 Feb 2008

Moderate prenatal exposure to alcohol and stress in monkeys can cause touch sensitivity

A new study on monkeys has found that moderate exposure to alcohol and stress during pregnancy can lead to sensitivity to touch in the monkeys' babies.

8 Feb 2008

Eye blinks may help to identify children prenatally exposed to alcohol

While children with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) have identifiable craniofacial abnormalities, children with alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder (ARND) can have significant cognitive impairments without facial anomalies. An important new study has found that a deficit in eyeblink conditioning (EBC) can identify children with probable FAS, and may also serve to identify alcohol-exposed children who lack distinctive FAS features.

5 Feb 2008

March of Dimes works to eliminate racial gaps in infant health

In recognition of Black History Month, the March of Dimes is drawing attention to the tremendous gap in premature birth and infant mortality rates that disproportionately affect black women in the United States and to the programs and research designed to reduce -- and one day eliminate -- these disparities.

4 Feb 2008

Scientists study the link between children's nutrition and adult diseases

Researchers from the Department of Pediatrics of the University of Granada , in collaboration with another 38 universities and companies from 16 European countries, will study the effects of children's nutrition on the onset of cardiovascular problems, diabetes, obesity, allergies, weak bones, neuromotor functioning and children's behavioural aspects.

16 Jan 2008

Maryland Court rejects Thimerosal - autism link

Wyeth has announced that The Honorable Stuart R. Berger of the Circuit Court for Baltimore City in Baltimore, Maryland, has granted Wyeth's motion to preclude plaintiffs' expert witnesses in an alleged vaccine injury case from testifying that exposure to thimerosal-containing vaccines can cause autism..

16 Jan 2008

Study suggests link between genetic basis of height and arthritis

In studies involving more than 35,000 people and a survey across the entire human genome, an international team supported in part by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has found evidence that common genetic variants recently linked to osteoarthritis may also play a minor role in human height.

14 Jan 2008

People whose index finger is shorter than their ring finger are at higher risk of osteoarthritis

A study of more than 2,000 people, published in the journal Arthritis and Rheumatism, suggests that people whose index finger is shorter than their ring finger are up to twice as likely to suffer from the condition, which is the most common form of arthritis.

7 Jan 2008

The risk of osteoarthritis and index to ring finger length ratio

Index to ring finger length ratio (2D:4D) is a trait known for its sexual differences.

3 Jan 2008

Laser procedure may treat vasa previa

A University of South Florida fetal surgeon at Tampa General Hospital successfully treated in utero a rare but potentially devastating condition in which placental blood vessels block the birth canal and can rupture during labor, leaving the baby without vital blood and oxygen.

20 Dec 2007