Pregnancy News and Research

Latest Pregnancy News and Research

Study highlights importance of public health efforts to reduce maternal obesity

In a study published in Pediatric Obesity, a child's high and increasing body mass index between ages two and six years was strongly associated with pre-pregnancy obesity and overweight in the child's mother; modestly associated with maternal type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, gestational diabetes that required medication, and excessive weight gain during pregnancy; and slightly associated with breastfeeding for six months or less.

6 Nov 2019

Study: Medication use is common in pregnant women with preeclampsia

Use of medications during pregnancy is more common in women with preeclampsia than in those without, according to an analysis of women who gave birth at a hospital in Finland in 2002-2016.

6 Nov 2019

Calcium added to acidified prepartum diets can improve postpartum outcomes

Achieving an appropriate calcium balance in dairy cows is critical near calving, but not only to ensure a healthy transition to lactation.

6 Nov 2019

Study highlights impact of prenatal exposure to alcohol and informs prevention efforts

Drinking in pregnancy can harm a developing baby. The term fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) describes the range of effects that can be caused by prenatal exposure to alcohol.

5 Nov 2019

Many young, low-income women may not be able to access birth control methods

Young, low-income women in Canada are less likely to use more effective methods of birth control like the pill, and more likely to use no contraception or condoms only, according to new UBC research.

5 Nov 2019

Researchers successfully treat pain using nanoparticles to deliver a non-opioid medication

The use of nanoparticles to deliver a drug into specific nerve cells has resulted in significantly improved pain relief.

5 Nov 2019

One-time exposure to cannabinoids during early pregnancy can impair fetal development

A new study published in Scientific Reports, a Nature Research journal, shows how a one-time exposure during early pregnancy to cannabinoids (CBs) – both synthetic and natural – can cause growth issues in a developing embryo.

5 Nov 2019

Mother-infant free-play interactions have positive effect on child's obesity risk trajectories

The deleterious effects that obesity has on an individual's health and the difficulty of reversing it in adults are well-known, ranging from diabetes and heart disease to cancer.

5 Nov 2019

Preterm birth has lasting consequences for children and their family

In the United States, 1 in 10 babies is born preterm, or at a gestational age of less than 37 weeks. The causes of preterm birth are complicated but the effects are clear: Preterm birth has lasting consequences for the child and their family.

4 Nov 2019

Abnormal gut microbiome in premature infants associated with growth faltering

The more abnormal the microbiome in NICU infants, the more likely they are to experience stunted growth even at 4 years of age.

4 Nov 2019

NYU Langone Health launches two new centers to offer specialized care for athletes

Recognizing that some athletes and active individuals have unique medical needs affected by their age, sex or gender, NYU Langone Health has launched two new centers to offer specialized care for a wide spectrum of athletes.

4 Nov 2019

Higher number of live births associated with poorer cardiovascular health

Using medical record and survey data collected from more than 3,400 women, Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers have added to evidence that women who have given birth five or more times were more likely than those who had fewer births to have more risk factors for heart disease, including obesity, high blood pressure and inadequate physical activity.

4 Nov 2019

New prenatal care approach offers the benefit of shared experience among women

A month before her baby was due, Mirian Zempualteca decided to start maternity leave early. Her belly was getting in the way of her job at a Brooklyn department store.

2 Nov 2019

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Spooky stuff

Open enrollment starts Nov. 1 in most states for people who buy health insurance under the Affordable Care Act. For the second year in a row, premiums for these individual market plans are down slightly, even without the federal tax penalty for those who remain uncovered.

31 Oct 2019

UW Medicine expert highlights healthcare disparities in black women

Dr. Kemi Doll, a UW Medicine gynecologic oncologist, has long studied endometrial cancer. It's work that reflects a bigger issue, she says: "Healthcare for black women isn't really the same as it is for everyone else, especially when it comes to reproductive care."

31 Oct 2019

Feminine hygiene or female threat?

A new research article published in the Journal of Women's Health indicates dangerous levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the blood of women using feminine hygiene products (FHPs). The most strongly linked products are feminine powder and vaginal douching products.

30 Oct 2019

Acetaminophen exposure in the womb may increase child's risk for ADHD, ASD

Exposure to acetaminophen in the womb may increase a child's risk for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder, suggests a study funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality.

30 Oct 2019

Scientists receive $1.6 million grant to study impact of phthalate exposure on male fertility

A cross-disciplinary team of scientists, led by University of Massachusetts Amherst environmental epigeneticist Richard Pilsner, will use a three-year, $1.6 million grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to expand research into the impact of phthalate exposure on male fertility.

30 Oct 2019

Rilpivirine drug used for HIV treatment also suppresses Zika virus infection

Like an adjustable wrench that becomes the "go-to" tool because it is effective and can be used for a variety of purposes, an existing drug that can be adapted to halt the replication of different viruses would greatly expedite the treatment of different infectious diseases.

30 Oct 2019

Study shows how infections during pregnancy are linked to psychiatric disorders

The mother's health is very important for the fetus's brain development during pregnancy. Many factors play key roles for healthy brain development, including nutrition, stress, hormonal balance and the mother's immune system.

30 Oct 2019