Pregnancy News and Research

Latest Pregnancy News and Research

Integration is key to fighting global epidemics, WHO reports

The World Health Organization (WHO) today launched a new report assessing progress in implementing the Global Health Sector Strategies (GHSS) on HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) for 2022–2030.

28 Jul 2026

Europe risks missing target to eliminate viral hepatitis by 2030

While Europe has made steady progress in preventing hepatitis B and C, with the prevalence of hepatitis B now at near-zero levels among children below five years old, an uneven implementation of key measures means that the region is set to miss the 2030 target to eliminate viral hepatitis as a public health threat, according to new data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) on World Hepatitis Day.

28 Jul 2026

Parenthood impacts women's health more than men's health

According to OPIK, the research group of the EHU-University of the Basque Country, the arrival of children is associated with changes in women's health that are not observed in men's health.

28 Jul 2026

Alcohol use during pregnancy increased in the United States from 2011 through 2024

Prenatal alcohol exposure-a contributor to adverse pregnancy outcomes and the leading preventable cause of neurodevelopmental disability worldwide-has increased in the United States over the past decade.

27 Jul 2026

New CHEST guideline outlines sleep apnea management during pregnancy

The American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST) recently released a new clinical guideline on obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in pregnancy.

27 Jul 2026

Study discovers new therapeutic targets for severe preeclampsia

Unusual behavior in the cells of mothers and babies with preeclampsia may provide new therapeutic targets for the condition, finds a new UCL-led study.

24 Jul 2026

Individualized treatment speeds recovery for babies with opioid withdrawal

A major new study shows that individualized treatment for babies born with opioid withdrawal can speed recovery and reduce time spent in the hospital.

24 Jul 2026

Short-term immunosuppressive therapy briefly restores autism-like brain changes in adult mice

A new mouse study led by UCLA Health suggests that inflammation during pregnancy can trigger autism-like changes in offspring, but also that those brain and behavior effects may be rapidly but temporarily reversible in adulthood with a short-term dose of the immunosuppressive drug rapamycin.

23 Jul 2026

Prolactin activates brain pathway promoting maternal caregiving behavior

New research has found a hormone is responsible for making mothers' interactions with newborns feel rewarding rather than just necessary.

22 Jul 2026

Survey finds widespread uncertainty over pregnancy vaccine recommendations

Most Americans are unaware or unsure of which vaccines the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends during pregnancy, according to a nationally representative survey of U.S. adults by the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) of the University of Pennsylvania.

22 Jul 2026

Midpregnancy herbicide exposure linked to increased risk of preterm birth

Exposure to a widely used herbicide during the middle months of pregnancy may increase the chance of giving birth too early, before 37 weeks, a new study shows.

22 Jul 2026

Corn-based foods linked to higher mycotoxin exposure in pregnancy

Consuming common foods such as corn chips and popcorn may put pregnant women at risk of being exposed to mycotoxins – harmful substances produced by mold – according to Rutgers researchers.

22 Jul 2026

Air pollution mixtures linked to higher early preterm birth risk

Pregnancy puts higher oxygen demands on the body, so expectant mothers breathe significantly more air over the course of a day. When air quality is bad, they're also breathing in more harmful pollutants.

21 Jul 2026

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