Pregnancy

This hub brings together authoritative articles covering the spectrum of pregnancy, maternal health, and fetal development. The collection encompasses topics ranging from the earliest signs of pregnancy to postpartum care, including trimester-specific changes, common symptoms, diagnostic procedures, and the management of complications. Readers will find evidence-based guidance on maternal nutrition, exercise, mental health, and medical conditions affecting pregnancy, such as thyroid disease, diabetes, and autoimmune disorders. The articles also address genetic and infectious disease considerations, fetal movement and monitoring, and the latest insights into maternal brain and mood changes. This resource is designed to support healthcare professionals, expectant parents, and researchers with up-to-date, trusted information for every stage of the pregnancy journey.

Is “Mom Brain” Real? The Science Behind Memory, Mood, and Motherhood

Pregnancy and motherhood trigger profound hormonal, structural, and functional changes in the brain, reshaping neural circuits to support caregiving and maternal behaviors. Recent evidence reveals that “mom brain” reflects adaptive neuroplasticity rather than simple cognitive decline.

Overview

Explore expert-reviewed articles on pregnancy symptoms, complications, fetal development, nutrition, and maternal health. This hub delivers evidence-based information for clinicians, parents, and anyone seeking reliable guidance during pregnancy.

Foods to Avoid During Pregnancy

Raspberry Leaf Tea In Pregnancy: Safety, Benefits, and Research Insights

Hair Growth in Pregnancy

How Soon Can You Have Sex After Having a Baby?

Heartburn in Pregnancy

Pregnancy: 9 - 12 weeks

How does Pregnancy Affect Breast Cancer Risk and Survival?

Foot Conditions and Pregnancy

Pregnancy: 33 - 36 weeks

Extended Breech, Flexed Breech and Footling Breech

Pregnancy: 29 - 32 weeks

See more featured articles »

Pregnancy: 25 - 28 weeks

Osteoporosis and Pregnancy

Can Men Improve the Chances of a Successful Pregnancy?

Breast Changes After Birth

Hypothyroidism in Pregnancy

What is the Triple Screen in Pregnancy?

Piles (Haemorrhoids) in Pregnancy

Breeched Birth: Caesarean Section or Vaginal Delivery?

Pregnancy: 0-8 weeks

The Role of Estrogen in Pregnancy

What is the Third Stage of Labor?

Maternal Immune Activation During Pregnancy

The Constituents of Breast Milk

What is intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP)?

Breast and Nipple Changes During Pregnancy

Acute Fatty Liver of Pregnancy Treatment

Fibromyalgia and Fertility / Pregnancy

Pregnancy: 13 - 16 weeks

Dental Care During Pregnancy

Pregnancy Myths

Diabetes and Pregnancy

Eczema During Pregnancy

Complications during Pregnancy

Pregnancy Denial

Diagnosis of fatty liver of pregnancy

Pregnancy and Infectious Diseases

What is the Quadruple or Combined Test?

Is it Safe to Exercise During Pregnancy?

Does Morning Sickness Occur at Other Times of Day?

What is hyperemesis gravidarum (severe morning sickness)?

Safety, Not “Sharing,” Must Guide Visitor Policies for Cesarean Surgery

Dangers of Vitamin Deficiency During Pregnancy

The Genetics of Pre-Eclampsia

Why is Caffeine Dangerous During Pregnancy?

Obesity in Pregnancy

Back Pain in Pregnancy

Breastfeeding During Pregnancy

Smoking and Pregnancy

Constipation in Pregnancy

Pregnancy: 17 - 20 weeks

What Causes an Ectopic Pregnancy?

Medical Complications of Twins, Triplets and Multiples

Thyroid Disease in Pregnancy

Maternal Birthing Positions

Early Signs of Pregnancy

How Much Should My Baby Move During Pregnancy?

Voice Changes and Pregnancy

Supplements During Pregnancy

What is Acute Fatty Liver of Pregnancy?

Rheumatoid Arthritis and Pregnancy

What is Amniotic Fluid Embolism?

How is the Sex of a Fetus Determined?

Recurrent Miscarriage Causes

Benefits of Nut Consumption During Pregnancy

Recurrent Miscarriage Epidemiology

Pregnancy: 21 - 24 weeks

Pregnancy: 37 - 40 weeks

What is an Ectopic Pregnancy?

Pregnancy and Organic Food

Zika Virus in Pregnant Women

What Causes Miscarriage?

Fetal Movements in Pregnancy

Pregnancy: over 40 weeks

Lupus and Pregnancy

Latest Pregnancy News and Research

Weight-loss drugs linked to preterm birth risk in women with pre-existing diabetes

Weight loss drugs have been linked to an increased risk of premature births among women who took them inadvertently just before or during early pregnancy to treat pre-existing diabetes.

17 Mar 2026

Study focuses on pica prevalence and risks in many South Carolinians during pregnancy

Health promotion, education, and behavior assistant professor Leila Larson conducts her nutrition-focused maternal and child health research all over the world, and South Carolinians will soon benefit from her expertise.

17 Mar 2026

Continuous Medicaid coverage lowered postpartum uninsurance, but disparities remain

Postpartum uninsurance declined among Black women in non-expansion states during the COVID-19 continuous Medicaid coverage policy, but racial gaps persisted, according to a new study at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.

17 Mar 2026

Yogurt, cheese, and chocolate consumption is tied to reduced mortality risk, researchers report

A large meta-analysis of 50 cohort studies involving over three million adults found that higher consumption of certain fermented foods is associated with lower risks of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Fermented milk products also showed inverse associations with cancer mortality, while other foods like miso and bread showed no consistent effects.

17 Mar 2026

New risk models improve food safety guidelines for pregnant individuals

Listeria is the third-leading cause of death among bacterial foodborne pathogens in the U.S. and pregnant individuals bear a disproportionate share of that burden.

17 Mar 2026

Early-life PFAS exposure may hinder adolescent bone development

Early-life exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) may influence how children's bones develop during adolescence, according to new research published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society.

17 Mar 2026

Childhood stress may lead to digestive issues later in life

Early life stress may lead to digestive issues later in life, driven by changes in the gut and sympathetic nervous systems, according to a new study published in the journal Gastroenterology.

16 Mar 2026

Study highlights crucial role of fathers in pregnancy and child outcomes

New research from the University of Southampton and international partners shines a spotlight on the significant and often under-recognized role that fathers' health and well-being play in shaping pregnancy and child outcomes.

16 Mar 2026

Global indicators identified to monitor health before pregnancy worldwide

The key health and social indicators needed for a new global system to monitor people's health before pregnancy have been identified for the first time by researchers at University College London and the University of Southampton.

16 Mar 2026

Birth control skepticism, teen fertility education center stage at Trump’s women’s health summit

Surrounded by hot pink lights and cherry blossom pink drapes on a ballroom stage, family doctor Marguerite Duane offered a seemingly simple solution to infertility: Doctors should have conversations with young girls about whether they want to have children one day.

16 Mar 2026

Weekly buprenorphine injections improve opioid abstinence during pregnancy

In a clinical trial supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a research team found that administering weekly injectable extended-release buprenorphine for treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD) during pregnancy led to higher rates of abstinence from illicit opioids than buprenorphine given daily under the tongue (sublingual), one of the standard methods of treatment.

16 Mar 2026

Extended monitoring identifies many more severe pregnancy complication cases

Extending the monitoring period for severe pregnancy complications showed more than 40% of cases were missed using traditional delivery-focused monitoring, according to new research published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.251425 that extended monitoring from conception to 6 weeks postpartum.

16 Mar 2026

Reckoning with state and federal cuts, Los Angeles safety-net clinics push for a new tax

Mia Angulo, who is pregnant and due in May, is living in a tent with her boyfriend in the predominantly Latino neighborhood of Boyle Heights.

16 Mar 2026

Vaginal microbiome may play key role in pregnancy health and preterm birth risk, researchers say

Researchers reviewed evidence linking the vaginal microbiome to pregnancy health and spontaneous preterm birth, highlighting how Lactobacillus-dominated communities help maintain immune balance and vaginal acidity. Dysbiosis and inflammatory signaling may contribute to preterm birth risk, while emerging microbiome-targeted therapies aim to restore protective microbial ecosystems.

15 Mar 2026

Early prenatal shunt treatment improves outcomes for fetal megacystis

An interdisciplinary team from the University Hospitals Cologne and Bonn have conducted the first prospective study to investigate whether very early intervention in unborn children with congenital lower urinary tract obstruction (cLUTO) can improve their chances of survival and subsequent kidney function.

13 Mar 2026

Updated guideline emphasizes earlier treatment for high cholesterol

The American College of Cardiology (ACC), the American Heart Association and nine other leading medical associations, today issued an updated guideline for the management of dyslipidemia-abnormal levels of one or more types of lipids or lipoproteins in the blood, including cholesterol and triglycerides.

13 Mar 2026

Preconception pesticide exposure linked to poorer newborn health outcomes

Women exposed to agricultural pesticides, even before becoming pregnant, may be putting their newborn's health at risk.

13 Mar 2026

Immune switch plays a critical role in successful pregnancies

Early pregnancy depends on a remarkable act of coordination. Before the placenta can nourish a growing fetus, the embryo must securely "land" and connect with the mother's blood supply - a process guided by a specialized group of immune cells called uterine natural killer cells, or uNK cells.

12 Mar 2026

Decoding the neighborhood dynamics of childhood brain cancer

New research published in Nature finds that tumor cells within supratentorial ependymomas (SE) – an aggressive childhood brain cancer – cluster into distinct tumor cell populations. Much like a neighborhood in your hometown, each cell subtype within these "communities" has a specific (and previously unappreciated) role to play.

12 Mar 2026

Eating earlier in the day is linked to lower nighttime glucose in gestational diabetes

A secondary analysis of a randomized trial examined whether the timing of the first daily meal affects 24-hour glucose patterns in pregnancies with gestational diabetes. Earlier first meals were associated with lower nocturnal glucose levels and an earlier daily glucose rhythm, although overall glycaemic control metrics were similar between groups.

11 Mar 2026