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.

Pregnancy: 33 - 36 weeks

Osteoporosis and Pregnancy

Breastfeeding During Pregnancy

What Causes an Ectopic Pregnancy?

Complications during Pregnancy

Diabetes and Pregnancy

Can Men Improve the Chances of a Successful Pregnancy?

Pregnancy: 29 - 32 weeks

Hair Growth in Pregnancy

Lupus and Pregnancy

Breast and Nipple Changes During Pregnancy

See more featured articles »

Early Signs of Pregnancy

Pregnancy: 0-8 weeks

Benefits of Nut Consumption During Pregnancy

Dental Care During Pregnancy

Is it Safe to Exercise During Pregnancy?

Pregnancy and Infectious Diseases

The Genetics of Pre-Eclampsia

Supplements During Pregnancy

Breeched Birth: Caesarean Section or Vaginal Delivery?

Foot Conditions and Pregnancy

Fetal Movements in Pregnancy

Why is Caffeine Dangerous During Pregnancy?

Thyroid Disease in Pregnancy

Extended Breech, Flexed Breech and Footling Breech

Smoking and Pregnancy

Back Pain in Pregnancy

What Causes Miscarriage?

Eczema During Pregnancy

Pregnancy: 25 - 28 weeks

How does Pregnancy Affect Breast Cancer Risk and Survival?

Recurrent Miscarriage Causes

The Role of Estrogen in Pregnancy

Foods to Avoid During Pregnancy

Pregnancy: 17 - 20 weeks

Zika Virus in Pregnant Women

Medical Complications of Twins, Triplets and Multiples

Constipation in Pregnancy

How Much Should My Baby Move During Pregnancy?

Pregnancy Myths

Maternal Birthing Positions

What is hyperemesis gravidarum (severe morning sickness)?

Heartburn in Pregnancy

What is an Ectopic Pregnancy?

Fibromyalgia and Fertility / Pregnancy

The Constituents of Breast Milk

How Soon Can You Have Sex After Having a Baby?

Obesity in Pregnancy

Recurrent Miscarriage Epidemiology

Pregnancy: 13 - 16 weeks

Acute Fatty Liver of Pregnancy Treatment

Pregnancy and Organic Food

What is Amniotic Fluid Embolism?

What is the Quadruple or Combined Test?

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

Diagnosis of fatty liver of pregnancy

What is the Triple Screen in Pregnancy?

Dangers of Vitamin Deficiency During Pregnancy

Hypothyroidism in Pregnancy

Pregnancy: 9 - 12 weeks

Does Morning Sickness Occur at Other Times of Day?

Rheumatoid Arthritis and Pregnancy

How is the Sex of a Fetus Determined?

Voice Changes and Pregnancy

What is the Third Stage of Labor?

Pregnancy Denial

Breast Changes After Birth

Maternal Immune Activation During Pregnancy

Pregnancy: 37 - 40 weeks

What is Acute Fatty Liver of Pregnancy?

Pregnancy: over 40 weeks

What is intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP)?

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

Piles (Haemorrhoids) in Pregnancy

Pregnancy: 21 - 24 weeks

Latest Pregnancy News and Research

COVID 19 vaccination protects pregnant people and their babies

Pregnant people who received a COVID-19 vaccine were far less likely to experience severe illness or deliver their babies prematurely, according to a major new UBC-led study published in JAMA.

15 Dec 2025

FDA panelists questioned antidepressants in pregnancy. But doctors call them a lifeline.

If you are pregnant or a new mother who is struggling with depression or anxiety, you can call or text the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline, 24/7: 833-TLC-MAMA (833-852-6262). Postpartum Support International can help connect you with a local mental health provider at 800-944-4773 or psidirectory.com.

15 Dec 2025

Interdisciplinary project aims reduce noise exposure for premature children in neonatal care

Premature babies are particularly susceptible to strong sensory impressions and high sound levels from the incubator. Now researchers will look at what can be done to protect children's hearing and development.

12 Dec 2025

WHO global expert committee finds no causal link exists between vaccines and autism

New analysis from a WHO global expert committee on vaccine safety has found that, based on available evidence, no causal link exists between vaccines and autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The conclusion reaffirms WHO's position that childhood vaccines do not cause autism.

12 Dec 2025

How much omega-3 do you need daily? New global review reveals DHA and EPA requirements

Global and national guidelines for long-chain omega-3 intake vary widely across life stages, with many countries lacking clear recommendations. Most authorities advise at least 250 mg/day of EPA and DHA, yet population intakes remain far below optimal levels.

10 Dec 2025

Why the form of vitamin B12 you take may matter more than your intake

This comprehensive review examines vitamin B12 absorption, physiological roles, deficiency states, and dietary sources, with particular attention to differences between natural and synthetic forms. The authors conclude that while all B12 forms raise circulating levels, methylcobalamin may offer advantages in specific clinical contexts, especially where absorption or metabolic conversion is impaired.

10 Dec 2025

Uterine fibroids linked to higher long-term heart disease risk in women

Long-term heart disease risk in women diagnosed with uterine fibroids was more than 80% higher than in women without fibroids, according to new independent research published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open access, peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.

10 Dec 2025

Study offers a unified biological model to explain the causes of autism

A new University of California San Diego School of Medicine study offers a unified biological model to explain how genetic predispositions and environmental exposures converge to cause autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

10 Dec 2025

Contraception and surgical sterilization associated with increased life expectancy

Blocking reproduction increases lifespan in both males and females of many different species, a new international University of Otago – Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka-led study has found.

10 Dec 2025

Trump’s idea for health accounts has been tried. Millions of patients have ended up in debt.

Sarah Monroe once had a relatively comfortable middle-class life. She and her family lived in a neatly landscaped neighborhood near Cleveland. They had a six-figure income and health insurance. Then, four years ago, when Monroe was pregnant with twin girls, something started to feel off.

9 Dec 2025

Supportive marriages may shape appetite control through oxytocin and the brain–gut axis

Supportive marital relationships are associated with lower BMI, fewer food addiction symptoms, higher oxytocin, stronger frontal brain responses to food cues, and favorable gut tryptophan metabolites. These coordinated social, neural, hormonal, and gut pathways suggest a plausible biological link between emotional support and healthier eating regulation.

8 Dec 2025

Everyday PFAS exposure alters placental function in early pregnancy

This study measured real-life PFAS concentrations in first-trimester human placentas and used these data to create a pregnancy-relevant PFAS mixture. In 3D trophoblast spheroid models, the mixture altered invasion, hormone secretion, and gene expression without broadly reducing viability at environmentally relevant doses.

8 Dec 2025

A 36-week screening strategy safely reduces pre-eclampsia at term

Screening pregnant women at 36 weeks using a validated risk model and offering risk-stratified planned early-term birth reduced the incidence of term pre-eclampsia by about 30 percent without increasing maternal or neonatal complications. The randomised PREVENT-PE trial demonstrates that a personalised timing-of-birth strategy can prevent term pre-eclampsia where no effective medical prevention currently exists.

8 Dec 2025

Calcium supplements do not prevent pre-eclampsia, large trials show no meaningful benefit

Despite long-standing recommendations, a major updated Cochrane review finds that calcium supplementation during pregnancy does not meaningfully reduce pre-eclampsia risk, prompting a rethink of how best to prevent hypertensive disorders in pregnancy.

7 Dec 2025

Quality improvement project dramatically boosts iron deficiency screening in pregnancy

Within a year of initiation, a multidisciplinary project to improve screening and treatment for iron deficiency in pregnancy resulted in a sixfold rise in screening rates for iron deficiency in pregnant patients, a 20-fold rise in the number of intravenous (IV) iron infusions, and a significant improvement in median hemoglobin levels.

7 Dec 2025

Study finds no specific harms linked to hydroxyurea exposure during pregnancy

Taking the sickle cell drug hydroxyurea during or shortly before pregnancy does not appear to cause specific issues in newborns, according to the first prospective study of pregnancies involving hydroxyurea exposure.

7 Dec 2025

Restrictive state abortion laws may affect frontline care in obstetric emergencies

Although the United States does not guarantee health care as a right, federal law mandates that hospitals cannot deny anyone lifesaving emergency care.

5 Dec 2025

Early pregnancy placenta models show significant effects from PFAS exposure

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of nearly 10,000 long-lasting chemical compounds that stay in the environment and have been linked to adverse health effects on humans, including pregnant women and their unborn children.

4 Dec 2025

Long-acting HIV treatment could improve outcomes for breastfeeding women

Sujata Tewari, BA, previously of the Medical Practice Evaluation Center (MPEC) at Massachusetts General Hospital, and Andrea L. Ciaranello, MD, MPH, of the MPEC and Department of Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, are the lead and senior authors of a paper published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases, “Long-acting antiretroviral therapy for breastfeeding women with HIV experiencing barriers to adherence in Zimbabwe: Modeling clinical impact and cost-effectiveness.

4 Dec 2025

Planned birth at term shown to cut pre-eclampsia risk in high-risk women

Planned birth at term reduces the incidence of pre-eclampsia in women at high risk of the condition, without increasing emergency Caesarean or neonatal unit admission, according to new trial results.

4 Dec 2025