Pregnancy News and Research

Latest Pregnancy News and Research

Vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy can influence the development of ADHD

According to a study conducted in Finland, the risk of ADHD was 34 percent higher in children whose mother had a vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy than in those children whose mother’s vitamin D level was sufficient during the first and second trimesters.

10 Feb 2020

New clinical trial to examine the safety of dapivirine vaginal ring and PrEP in pregnant women

The first clinical trial specifically designed to test the safety of the monthly dapivirine vaginal ring in pregnant women has begun in southern and eastern Africa.

10 Feb 2020

Higher maternal blood pressure linked to placental gene modifications

Higher maternal blood pressure in pregnancy is associated with chemical modifications to placental genes, according to a study by researchers from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, part of the National Institutes of Health.

10 Feb 2020

Quick reference points on egg freezing for age-related fertility

Egg freezing for age-related fertility is becoming more common, and a short article in CMAJ provides quick reference points on the topic for primary care providers.

10 Feb 2020

Growing eggs and sperm to treat infertility

Scientists at the University of California, Los Angeles, have reported, in the journal Cell Reports, the mechanism of how the very early precursor or stem cells which eventually give rise to the germ cells, eggs and sperm, are formed over the course of development. This could help create eggs and sperms under laboratory conditions to help infertile people who don’t have sperms, or eggs, for instance.

9 Feb 2020

Drug to improve fetal growth may increase blood pressure and blood sugar levels in offspring

Research suggests that a drug recently assessed as a potential treatment for fetal growth restriction may cause high blood pressure and raise blood sugar levels in offspring.

6 Feb 2020

All women need to be educated about postpartum hypertension

After childbirth, it is not uncommon for women to experience high blood pressure. If not treated, it can have serious consequences, including stroke and, in some cases, death. It is unclear what causes high blood pressure after childbirth, or who may develop it.

6 Feb 2020

Patients caught in crossfire between giant hospital chain, large insurer

After Zoe Friedland became pregnant with her first child, she was picky about choosing a doctor to guide her through delivery.

6 Feb 2020

UMass Amherst study aims to develop new test for BRCA-positive lactating moms

Breastfeeding women with a pathogenic BRCA1 or BRCA2 genetic mutation face a significant risk, even at a young age, of breast and ovarian cancer.

6 Feb 2020

Preeclamptic women have higher heart disease risk

Women with high blood pressure in their first pregnancy have a greater risk of heart attack or cardiovascular death, according to a Rutgers study.

6 Feb 2020

New MR system could help identify pregnant women at high risk of pre-eclampsia

Scientists have developed a new magnetic resonance system which could be used to more effectively identify pregnant women at high-risk of pre-eclampsia.

5 Feb 2020

Key changes to Adult and Child Immunization schedule for 2020

The new Childhood and Adolescent Immunization Schedule and the Adult Immunization Schedule for 2020 are out, just released by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). This is an annual event following its yearly revision.

5 Feb 2020

Pregnancy-related public health programs effective at reducing maternal mortality rates

Maternal mortality rates in the United States exceed those of other developed countries, with some considerable racial disparities.

5 Feb 2020

Researchers find seasonal variations in risk of hypertensive disorders during pregnancy

Researchers observed seasonal variations in the risk of the hypertensive disorders of pregnancy--including gestational hypertension and preeclampsia--in a study of Danish women.

5 Feb 2020

Study provides key insights into pregnant women's use of marijuana

As the use of marijuana is legalized in an increasing number of U.S. states, the number of people who use the drug daily is on the rise. This upward trend also holds up in women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, despite evidence that using marijuana could harm their babies.

4 Feb 2020

Elevated pre-meal blood sugar levels in pregnant women linked to adverse outcomes

Pregnant women diagnosed with diabetes who have elevated fasting (pre-meal) blood sugar levels are more likely to face complications than those who have only elevated post-meal glucose levels, according to a new study by a University of Alberta research team.

4 Feb 2020

Study defines safest ovary removal procedure for fertility preservation

Young girls who are about to undergo treatment for cancer or other therapies that pose high risk of infertility can opt to have an ovary removed and preserved for future transplantation when they are ready to pursue pregnancy.

4 Feb 2020

Preventing cardiac problems during pregnancy

Although cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, it has not been widely recognized that many types of heart disease can and do affect women of childbearing age. But that is rapidly changing.

3 Feb 2020

Study finds homicide as leading cause of pregnancy-associated death in Louisiana

Homicide is a leading cause of death among pregnant and postpartum women in Louisiana, according to an analysis of birth and death records from 2016 and 2017.

3 Feb 2020

Experts think progesterone could prevent 8,500 miscarriages a year

According to two new studies from the University of Birmingham and Tommy's National Centre for Miscarriage Research, women who have bleeding during early pregnancy and who have had earlier miscarriages could benefit from a course of progesterone, with about 8,500 babies being saved each year.

2 Feb 2020