Pregnancy News and Research

Latest Pregnancy News and Research

Study analyzes link between maternal insecticide use during pregnancy and neonatal jaundice

The data of 61,751 pregnant women, out of approximately 100,000 collected by the Japan Environment and Children's Study analyzed the association between the maternal usage of insecticides and insect repellents during pregnancy and neonatal hyperbilirubinemia.

28 Aug 2020

Age-appropriate contraception counseling can help prevent unplanned pregnancies in adolescents

Preventing unplanned pregnancies in adolescents with effective and easy-to-use contraception is key to ensuring that adolescents do not become parents before they are ready. Adolescents view their health care providers as trusted sources of medical information.

27 Aug 2020

FDA grants Abbott's COVID-19 rapid antigen test emergency-use authorization

Now, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted emergency-use authorization to Abbott Laboratories for a $5 rapid-response COVID-19 antigen test, called BinaxNOW COVID-19 Ag Card, which is roughly the size of a credit card.

27 Aug 2020

New COVID-19 antigen test can be directly read from the testing card

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization for the first antigen test where results can be read directly from the testing card, a similar design to some pregnancy tests.

27 Aug 2020

Scientists discover possible biomarkers for detecting opioid use disorder during pregnancy

Scientists at the University of Missouri have discovered possible biological markers that they hope could one day help identify the presence of an opioid use disorder during human pregnancy.

26 Aug 2020

Novel saliva test could fast track heart attack diagnosis

A saliva test could fast track heart attack diagnosis, according to preliminary research presented today at ESC Congress 2020.

26 Aug 2020

Online health technology can close the gap on racial disparities

New research from Boston Medical Center highlights the benefits of using health technology to engage African American and Black women earlier in preconception care in an effort to close the gap on racial disparities in birth outcomes and maternal mortality.

26 Aug 2020

No safe level of caffeine consumption for pregnant women

A new study shows that caffeine consumption by pregnant mothers could harm the fetus and baby. The new study titled, "Maternal caffeine consumption and pregnancy outcomes: a narrative review with implications for advice to mothers and mothers-to-be," was published in the latest issue of the journal British Medical Journal Evidence Based Medicine.

26 Aug 2020

Children born at high altitude smaller at birth and have stunted growth

A new study released this week by Ethiopian researchers shows that children who are born at higher altitudes, such as 1,500m (4,921 ft) above sea level, are more at risk of being smaller at birth and have a stunted growth compared to their counterparts born at lower altitudes. The research is published in the latest issue of the journal JAMA Pediatrics.

25 Aug 2020

Living at higher altitudes linked with greater rates of stunting

Residing at higher altitude is associated with greater rates of stunting, even for children living in "ideal-home environments" according to a new study from researchers at the International Food Policy Research Institute and Addis Ababa University.

24 Aug 2020

COVID-19 mother transmitted virus to baby during pregnancy, report physicians

A pregnant mother who tested positive for COVID-19 transmitted the virus causing the disease to her prematurely born baby, UT Southwestern physicians report. Both were treated and recovered.

24 Aug 2020

No evidence pregnancy increases the risk of COVID-19 morbidity or severity

Albeit pregnancy is generally considered a significant risk factor for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and more severe coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outcomes, a recent study by a multinational team of researchers shows that symptoms are generally comparable between pregnant and non-pregnant cohorts of women – with the exception of gastrointestinal symptoms. This paper is currently available on the medRxiv* preprint server.

23 Aug 2020

Whey protein from human breastmilk inhibits SARS-CoV-2 infection

Many scientists have reported the effects of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection on pregnancy and the virus has been detected in breastmilk. Now a new study published on the preprint server bioRxiv* in August 2020 shows that whey protein in human breastmilk efficiently prevents infection with SARS-CoV-2 as well as post-entry viral replication.

20 Aug 2020

Girls with anorexia nervosa can have stunted growth

Girls with anorexia nervosa can have stunted growth and may not reach their full height potential, according to a new study published in the Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

20 Aug 2020

UIC's first-of-its-kind contraceptive receives FDA approval

A first-of-its-kind contraceptive developed at the University of Illinois Chicago has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

19 Aug 2020

Women's reproductive tract mediates post-mating sexual selection, shows study

The female reproductive tract has the final say in human mate choice, according to new research from the University of Eastern Finland.

19 Aug 2020

Scientists create miniature human heart model in the lab

A team of researchers from Michigan State University has created a miniature human heart model in the laboratory. For the first time in history, this mode is complete with all primary heart cell types and a functioning structure of chambers and vascular tissue.

19 Aug 2020