Pregnancy News and Research

Latest Pregnancy News and Research

‘Eat nuts three times a week’ during pregnancy to improve your child's I.Q.

Eating nuts during early pregnancy may boost a child’s cognitive ability and I.Q., according to a new study by researchers in Spain.

8 May 2019

More than a quarter of new moms overlook postpartum care after giving birth, finds survey

The three trimesters of pregnancy are filled with doctor's appointments, preparations and careful surveillance of the health of both mom and baby.

8 May 2019

Study finds no developmental differences in children conceived via ART

Parents with children conceived via IVF, IUI or using infertility medication can rest assured that treatment has no impact on childhood development.

8 May 2019

Study finds link between maternal diet rich in nuts and child's neurodevelopment

Nuts are known to help reduce the risk of hypertension, oxidative stress and diabetes and they may exercise a protective effect against cognitive decline in older age.

7 May 2019

Taking vitamin D and E during pregnancy may 'reduce likelihood' of asthma

Researchers have discovered that high levels of vitamin D and E during pregnancy may reduce the risk of asthma in children.

7 May 2019

Long-standing immunosuppressive drug reduces Zika birth defects in mice

In experiments with pregnant mice infected with the Zika virus, Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers report they have successfully used a long-standing immunosuppressive drug to diminish the rate of fetal deaths and birth defects in the mice's offspring.

From Johns Hopkins Medicine 7 May 2019

Low oxygen levels harm specific cells in the developing brain

Low oxygen levels are a well-known cause of brain injury in premature babies. But the mechanism by which low oxygen hurts the developing human brain has been unclear.

6 May 2019

Inducing early labor costs the same as waiting for spontaneous labor

Expectant parents wait 40 weeks for the arrival of their new baby, but what if labor was induced one week earlier? Conventional wisdom holds that inducing labor at 39 weeks would be cost-prohibitive to a health care system.

3 May 2019

Genetic test for low birth weight on the horizon

Researchers have successfully identified 190 genetic factors associated with a low birth weight. They hope that this may one day be used to develop a universal genetic test.

3 May 2019

$30 million federal grant to accelerate chase for universal influenza vaccine

Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center will use a $30 million federal grant--the second-largest the center has ever received--to accelerate the chase for one of medicine's most elusive goals: a universal influenza vaccine.

2 May 2019

Viral infection in utero associated with behavioral abnormalities in offspring

Male and female rats whose mother experienced a simulated viral infection during pregnancy behave abnormally, consistent with behavioural alterations in autism or schizophrenia, research by the University of Saskatchewan shows.

2 May 2019

Study casts new light into how mothers' and babies' genes influence birth weight

The largest study of its kind has led to new insights into the complex relationships surrounding how mothers' and babies' genes influence birth weight.

1 May 2019

Prenatal stress may be involved in shaping psychiatric resilience later in life

Maternal stress during or after pregnancy has been repeatedly associated with subsequent psychiatric problems and non-coding 'epigenetic' DNA changes during childhood.

30 Apr 2019

Researchers find potential link between autism and antidepressant use during pregnancy

An international team led by Duke-NUS Medical School has found a potential link between autistic-like behavior in adult mice and exposure to a common antidepressant in the womb.

30 Apr 2019

Oral contraceptives may reduce risk of ACL tears in women

Oral contraceptives may lower the risk of anterior cruciate ligament tears in women, according to a large observational study involving over 165,000 female patients (aged 15-49), published in The Physician and Sports medicine journal.

30 Apr 2019

Fetal heart rate monitoring can help health workers to identify at risk fetuses

Worldwide, there are over 3 million stillbirths and approximately 3 million newborn deaths each year, most in low-resource countries.

30 Apr 2019

Autism diagnoses in children as young as 14 months appears to be remarkably stable

Diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder by trained professionals in children as young as 14 months are remarkably stable, suggesting that accurate screening and earlier treatment is feasible, report scientists at University of California San Diego School of Medicine in a study publishing online April 29, 2019 in JAMA Pediatrics.

30 Apr 2019

Genetic makeup does not predispose people to tooth decay, study finds

A new study has found genetic makeup does not predispose people to tooth decay, however the research did find that children with overweight mothers are more likely to have cavities.

30 Apr 2019

Study describes new viral molecular evasion mechanism used by cytomegalovirus

A study published in the journal PLOS Pathogens describes a new viral molecular evasion mechanism used by cytomegalovirus to interfere in the immune response of the infected host.

30 Apr 2019

Researchers to study link between prenatal pesticide exposures and childhood ADHD

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 6.1 million children have been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder as of 2016. Symptoms of ADHD include trouble concentrating, paying attention, staying organized and remembering details.

29 Apr 2019