Pregnancy News and Research

Latest Pregnancy News and Research

Prenatal forever chemical exposure may affect puberty timing in children

An EHU-University of the Basque Country and Biogipuzkoa Health Research Institute study has linked certain chemicals measured during the first trimester of pregnancy to the subsequent onset of puberty in the children.

27 May 2026

Why blood pressure rises faster in women after midlife

This review examines how sex-specific blood pressure trajectories are shaped by genetics, hormones, metabolic risk factors, lifestyle exposures, environmental stressors, and medical treatments. It highlights that women generally have lower blood pressure earlier in life but may experience steeper increases with aging, especially around and after menopause, with exogenous stressors appearing to have a greater impact in women than in men.

27 May 2026

Study links fathers’ preconception stress to altered offspring development

Research from the University of Colorado Anschutz suggests that stress experienced by a father before conception may influence an offspring's growth by altering small molecular signals in sperm.

26 May 2026

Novel wearable ultrasound patch improves high-risk pregnancy monitoring

Current fetal monitoring tools for physicians to closely follow high-risk pregnancies are inadequate, so researchers at Stanford Medicine, the University of California San Diego and Oxford University developed a wearable ultrasound patch to monitor such pregnancies.

26 May 2026

Engineers develop wearable ultrasound patch for continuous fetal monitoring

Engineers at the University of California San Diego have created a soft, wearable ultrasound patch that can continuously monitor a fetus for hours at a time - and it can do so consistently even as the fetus and umbilical cord constantly move during pregnancy.

26 May 2026

Ongoing nausea in pregnancy may flag anxiety and depression risk

Persistent or severe nausea during pregnancy was linked to higher maternal anxiety and depressive symptoms across gestation. The study found little consistent evidence that nausea worsened most perinatal outcomes, suggesting it may serve mainly as a clinical warning sign for psychological burden.

25 May 2026

Experts urge specialized heart centers for women across European healthcare

Women are more likely to face delays in diagnosis of cardiovascular disease and, as a result, they are more likely to die or develop more serious illness. To address this in inequality, Europe needs dedicated women's heart centers, according to a report published in the European Heart Journal today (Tuesday).

25 May 2026

New clinical guidelines outline strategies to improve postpartum cardiovascular care

A new Expert Consensus Decision Pathway by the American College of Cardiology (ACC) provides recommended strategies for improving postpartum care for individuals with and at risk for short- and long-term cardiovascular disease (CVD).

22 May 2026

Lab-grown brain models reveal how epilepsy drug alters fetal development

It is known that the antiepileptic drug valproate increases the risk of developmental disorders in unborn children.

22 May 2026

High-dose vitamin D3 in pregnancy may boost children’s memory by age 10

High-dose vitamin D3 supplementation from mid-pregnancy to early postpartum was associated with better verbal and visual memory in children at age 10. The post hoc analysis suggests prenatal vitamin D3 exposure may support selected cognitive functions, although findings require cautious interpretation.

21 May 2026

Researchers discover how overpopulation reduces fertility

Scientists have reported it for decades: Overpopulation can impair reproduction.

21 May 2026

Most Americans misunderstand which sexually transmitted infections have preventive vaccines

While data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that the total number of U.S. cases of three sexually transmitted infections (STIs) declined from 2022-24, infection rates remain 13% higher than a decade ago. CDC provisional data show more than 2.2 million U.S. cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis were reported in 2024.

21 May 2026

Bacterial sexually transmitted infections reach highest level in a decade

The latest Annual Epidemiological Reports from ECDC indicate a surge in bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs) across Europe.

21 May 2026

Elevated blood glucose during pregnancy signals a significantly higher future diabetic risk

Gestational diabetes is a strong risk factor for future type 2 diabetes, even in women with normal pre-pregnancy weight, according to a study at the University of Gothenburg. The researchers call for earlier testing and better follow-up.

21 May 2026

First-of-its-kind pregnancy hormone test reveals why female IBD patients face severe symptom flares

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which comprises the inflammatory conditions Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, affects about 1.6 million Americans, many of whom cannot be effectively treated.

21 May 2026

Pregnancy magnifies heart risk, but age alone does not explain why

A large U.S. cohort-crossover study found that pregnancy and the postpartum period were linked to about a seven-fold higher relative risk of major adverse cardiovascular events compared with patients’ nonpregnant baseline risk. This relative risk increase did not vary by maternal age, suggesting pregnancy broadly amplifies existing cardiovascular risk rather than making older age itself the driver of pregnancy-specific cardiovascular complications.

20 May 2026

Pregnancy-related disorders may shape offspring heart health into adulthood

Hypertensive disorders in pregnancy may lead to lasting cardiovascular issues in offspring, highlighting the need for improved maternal health strategies.

19 May 2026

Sleep disturbances during pregnancy may be a risk factor for gestational diabetes

A recent study by Kuopio University Hospital and the University of Eastern Finland shows that sleep disturbances during pregnancy may be a significant risk factor for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

19 May 2026

Early protein and calorie supplements lead to fewer high-risk newborns

In parts of the world where daily nutrition is unstable, pregnancy and newborn health are more precarious. A new study led by epidemiologist Dongqing Wang of the George Mason University College of Public Health adds to the evidence that improving maternal nutrition during pregnancy may be a key intervention to improve birth outcomes.

19 May 2026

Study reveals persistent gaps in Ontario’s prenatal syphilis screening coverage

According to new research in CMAJ, 1 in 5 pregnant people in Ontario did not receive timely syphilis screening, which is critical for preventing syphilis infection in newborns (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

19 May 2026