Pregnancy News and Research

Latest Pregnancy News and Research

Adverse pregnancy outcomes increase future peripheral artery disease risk

Women who experience pregnancy complications such as gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, or preterm delivery have a significantly increased long-term risk of developing peripheral artery disease (PAD) later in life, according to a new study published July 21st in the open access journal PLOS Medicine by Casey Crump of the University of Texas, US, and colleagues.

21 Jul 2026

Less sitting in pregnancy is linked to fewer adverse outcomes

A JAMA cohort study of 470 pregnant women found that lower sedentary time, higher light-intensity activity, and more daily steps across pregnancy were associated with fewer adverse pregnancy outcomes. The findings support testing practical “sit less, move more” interventions, but cannot establish cause and effect.

21 Jul 2026

Study tests chronotype’s liver link and finds no significant association

Researchers found no significant association between chronotype and FibroScan-derived liver fat or stiffness in 119 medication-naïve adults with overweight or obesity. The exploratory findings cannot exclude smaller effects, particularly for fibrosis, and require confirmation in larger longitudinal studies.

21 Jul 2026

Prenatal use of certain medications can harm developing fetal brain

A review article by a University of Nebraska Medical Center/Child Health Research Institute research team underscores and describes how altering fundamental brain development processes can be detrimental for the developing baby.

20 Jul 2026

Chrononutrition shows promise for postpartum weight management

New research has found that eating habits that align most closely with a woman's existing routine show promise for losing postpartum baby weight, especially for mothers earlier in the postpartum period.

20 Jul 2026

Fish oil supplementation during pregnancy changes two childhood brain metabolic markers

Randomized maternal fish oil supplementation from pregnancy week 24 lowered offspring cerebral blood flow and oxygen metabolism at age 10 but did not alter precuneus lactate. The small differences resembled a more adult-like metabolic profile, although researchers found no associated cognitive or behavioral benefits.

19 Jul 2026

Long-term study shows how neighborhood conditions shape women's heart health

Women who live in disadvantaged neighborhoods face worse heart health and experience faster decline as they approach menopause, according to a long-term study led by the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute.

17 Jul 2026

Prenatal acetaminophen use not linked to adverse birth outcomes

There is no statistically significant evidence that taking acetaminophen, also known as Tylenol, during pregnancy has a negative impact on how early a child is born or a child's weight at birth, according to new research led by environmental scientists at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health.

17 Jul 2026

Maternal diets high in UPFs may influence children’s health years later

A narrative review of 84 publications links higher ultra-processed food intake during pregnancy and early childhood with poorer diet quality, maternal complications, childhood obesity, and potential immune, metabolic, and neurodevelopmental effects. The authors identify possible microbiome and biopsychosocial pathways but emphasize that the predominantly observational evidence cannot establish causality.

17 Jul 2026

Early PFAS exposure linked to childhood intestinal inflammation

Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have found that exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly known as "forever chemicals," during pregnancy and early life is associated with increased intestinal inflammation during childhood.

16 Jul 2026

Epidurals during labor show no significant risks to newborns

Having an epidural during labor is not associated with clinically significant increased risks of harm to newborn babies, including brain injury, severe breathing problems, sepsis and death, or cerebral palsy later in childhood.

15 Jul 2026

Lactoferrin yogurt helps preserve iron stores in women with gestational diabetes

In a double-blind pilot trial, lactoferrin-enriched yogurt added to routine iron supplementation helped prevent ferritin decline in pregnant women with gestational diabetes and reduced iron stores. The intervention was well tolerated and produced modest changes in selected gut bacteria, but did not significantly improve anemia or metabolic outcomes.

15 Jul 2026

Researchers rank 11 preeclampsia therapies as top candidates for further development

Researchers ranked 83 preclinical candidates for preventing or treating preeclampsia and eclampsia, identifying 11 as having high potential for further development. The analysis also revealed limited target diversity, moderate bias, inactive programs, and animal models that may not fully represent human pregnancy

15 Jul 2026

Evidence does not support universal vitamin D supplementation to prevent preterm birth

Announcing a new article publication in BIO Integration. Preterm birth complications are among leading causes of mortality in neonates and children under 5 years of age worldwide.

15 Jul 2026

Most pregnant people fail to achieve recommended seatbelt placement

Nearly nine in 10 pregnant participants in a study led by biomedical engineers at UBC did not achieve recommended seatbelt placement, even after instruction and hands-on guidance.

14 Jul 2026

Study tracks school readiness and academic performance in preterm children

More than half of children (57 per cent) born before 32 weeks were not ready for school at five years of age, including in areas such as communication and language, and physical and emotional development.

14 Jul 2026

New accessible placental measurement method could help prevent stillbirths

When Ann O'Neill suffered a stillbirth in 2018, she was bewildered. She was already a mother to three healthy children and therefore had received no information on stillbirth prevention from her doctors.

14 Jul 2026

Newborn breathing collapse risk highest in first 24 hours

Sudden unexpected postnatal collapse (SUPC) occurs when an apparently healthy newborn suddenly stops breathing and collapses during the first week of life.

14 Jul 2026

New consensus provides updated guidance for managing prolactinoma tumors

Prolactinomas are the most common functional pituitary neuroendocrine tumors, accounting for nearly half of all hormone-secreting pituitary adenomas.

13 Jul 2026

New report outlines practical strategies to improve hematological care for women

A new report in The Lancet Haematology, led by Cleveland Clinic hematologist Bethany Samuelson Bannow, M.D., outlines practical strategies to improve diagnosis, care and outcomes globally for women and girls with hematological conditions, such as bleeding disorders, heavy menstrual bleeding, postpartum hemorrhage, thrombosis and maternal hematologic complications.

13 Jul 2026