Childbirth News and Research

Latest Childbirth News and Research

Urgent action needed to end female genital mutilation

Female genital mutilation is a violation of human rights that inflicts deep and lifelong physical, emotional and psychological scars on girls and women.

6 Feb 2025

Cervical cancer during pregnancy linked to higher maternal health risks

A new research paper was published in Oncoscience's Volume 12 on January 20, 2025, titled "Maternal, delivery and neonatal outcomes in women with cervical cancer. A study of a population database."

6 Feb 2025

Dartmouth study links missing birth support to higher stress levels

Most animals, including other primates, give birth alone, but humans require assistance during childbirth due to the physiological complexities of the process.

3 Feb 2025

Study finds increased risk of cardiovascular disease for mothers of twins

The risk of being admitted to the hospital with heart disease is twice as high the year after birth for mothers of twins compared to singleton births, according to research published in the European Heart Journal today (Monday).

3 Feb 2025

AI-based model detects unseen risk combinations in pregnancies

A new AI-based analysis of almost 10,000 pregnancies has discovered previously unidentified combinations of risk factors linked to serious negative pregnancy outcomes, including stillbirth.

31 Jan 2025

New research aims to improve understanding of episiotomy mechanics

Millions of women undergo episiotomies during childbirth every year, yet the mechanics behind these surgical cuts remain largely unstudied.

30 Jan 2025

Adequate nurse staffing linked to lower C-section rates

Labor and delivery units that are adequately staffed by nurses have lower cesarean birth rates, according to new research published in the journal Nursing Outlook.

29 Jan 2025

Multiple sclerosis linked to increased risk of perinatal mental illness

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) face a significantly higher risk of perinatal mental illness compared to those with other chronic conditions, according to a new study analyzing over 890,000 births in Ontario.

23 Jan 2025

$12.5 million study aims to improve postpartum blood pressure management

Researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania are launching a $12.5 million study to improve postpartum blood pressure management and long-term cardiovascular health for patients with hypertensive disorders during pregnancy.

16 Dec 2024

Genetic insights into reproductive health and longevity

Led by researchers from the University of Oxford's Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science and the University of Iceland, the review explores how genetic variations can explain differences in reproductive health and longevity.

14 Dec 2024

New hepatitis B vaccine offers superior protection for people with HIV

A newer vaccine against hepatitis B virus was clearly superior to an older vaccine type in inducing a protective antibody response among people living with HIV who didn't respond to prior vaccination, according to the results of an international study led by a Weill Cornell Medicine investigator.

11 Dec 2024

Herpes infections affect 846 million people worldwide

Around 846 million people aged between 15 and 49 are living with genital herpes infections – more than 1 in 5 of this age-group globally – according to new estimates released today.

11 Dec 2024

Study reveals brain structure differences in women with peripartum depression

Researchers have identified structural grey matter differences in the brains of women with a history of peripartum depression and those without within a group of major depressive disorder patients.

6 Dec 2024

Women with infertility have higher risk of developing systemic autoimmune diseases

Women who experience infertility but do not use fertility treatments have a higher risk of developing a group of conditions called systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARD) in the nine years after a naturally conceived birth compared to women without fertility problems.

4 Dec 2024

Study reveals physical and mental effects of unintended pregnancies on mothers

By taking data prior to birth into account, a study by the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) used a novel way to analyze the physical and mental effects that unintended pregnancies have on mothers.

29 Nov 2024

New oral painkiller developed for chronic abdominal pain

University of Queensland researchers have developed a new class of oral painkillers to suppress chronic abdominal pain that is based on the peptide hormone oxytocin that drives childbirth contractions.

18 Nov 2024

AI-based ultrasound software guides childbirth decisions with high accuracy

A new AI-based software has been developed that can be integrated with an ultrasound device to 'guide' childbirth by providing precise, real-time information on the baby's head position.

11 Nov 2024

Heat exposure significantly heightens risks for maternal and newborn health

The study reveals that heat exposure increases health risks for pregnant women and their babies, impacting outcomes like preterm birth, low birth weight, and hypertensive disorders.

10 Nov 2024

Preeclampsia and COVID-19 share pathophysiological similarities in pregnant women

During the COVID-19 pandemic, above all before vaccines were available, an alarm was sounded regarding a possible correlation between severe cases of COVID-19 in pregnant women and preeclampsia, a condition characterized by high blood pressure (hypertension) in the expectant mother and high levels of protein in her urine (proteinuria). It can entail dangerous complications for mother and baby.

7 Nov 2024