Pregnancy News and Research

Latest Pregnancy News and Research

Early childhood intervention guide can help prevent substance use disorders

An online guide about interventions in early childhood that can help prevent drug use and other unhealthy behaviors was launched today by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, part of the National Institutes of Health.

10 Mar 2016

Real-world data confirm TDF efficacy for HBV

Treatment with tenofovir disoproxil fumarate elicits sustained virological responses and exhibits a favourable safety profile in a diverse population of patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection, shows a French routine clinical practice study.

10 Mar 2016

Integrative approach critical in addressing teen health issues

As rural communities struggle to obtain access to health services, a Kansas State University student is researching how medical, dental, social work and mental health providers can collaborate to meet the needs of teens.

10 Mar 2016

Alcohol worst of all drugs that affect fetal health

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention set off a firestorm of controversy this month when they suggested that women stop drinking alcohol if they are trying to get pregnant, or could get pregnant. Some people took this advice as the CDC prioritizing hypothetical, yet-to-be-conceived children over real women, which has brought up a number of issues from female autonomy to access to birth control—but how clear is the science about what causes fetal alcohol syndrome and related fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.

9 Mar 2016

Higher BMI in mothers linked with lower vitamin D levels in babies

Does a newborn's vitamin D level relate to the mother's weight during pregnancy? Results from a study published in PLOS ONE (Public Library of Science) provides ample evidence that yes, higher body mass index (BMI) in mothers is associated with lower vitamin D levels in their babies.

9 Mar 2016

Low levels of arsenic may influence fetal growth

Fetal growth may be impacted by low levels of arsenic that pregnant women consume in drinking water and food, a Dartmouth College study finds.

9 Mar 2016

Study: Domestic violence during pregnancy increases risk of preterm birth, low birth weight

Domestic violence by a partner or ex-partner during pregnancy increases the risk of preterm birth, low birth weight and small-for-gestational-age babies, finds a study in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

9 Mar 2016

Researchers explore prenatal marijuana use in legalized environment

Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus are studying the detection of prenatal marijuana use in a legalized environment. The study of marijuana use in pregnancy is only possible in a few states.

9 Mar 2016

Vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy linked to MS risk

Children born to mothers deficient in vitamin D during early pregnancy have an increased risk of developing multiple sclerosis as adults, researchers report.

8 Mar 2016

New research reveals European women's attitudes towards sexual behaviours, emergency contraceptive pill

New research released on International Women’s Day, reveals more than three in four European women (77%) are aware of the morning after pill as an option for managing the risk of an unplanned pregnancy after unprotected sex or contraceptive failure.

8 Mar 2016

New study assesses link between depression, anxiety and antidepressants and outcome of IVF

Depression and anxiety, and not necessarily the use of antidepressant medication, are associated with lower pregnancy and live birth rates following in vitro fertilisation, according to a large register study from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden. The findings are published in the journal Fertility & Sterility and can be of interest to clinicians treating infertility and for women with depression or anxiety planning to undergo fertility treatment.

8 Mar 2016

Zika virus can cause a range of abnormalities in pregnant women, study finds

New research presents strong evidence that the Zika virus can indeed cause a range of abnormalities in pregnant women infected with the virus -- with the effects manifesting any time during pregnancy. Some of the abnormalities noted have not been reported in connection with the virus.

7 Mar 2016

BetterYou’s DLuxPregnancy oral spray could boost vitamin D levels of expectant mums

An innovative way of boosting the vitamin D levels of expectant mums could help to improve their babies’ bone health, say health pioneers BetterYou.

From BetterYou Ltd 7 Mar 2016

Woman's Condom prequalified by WHO/UNFPA

The Woman's Condom, a new female condom designed to be easy to use and more acceptable to women and their partners, has been prequalified by the World Health Organization/United Nations Population Fund. The approval marks a critical step forward in expanding options for female-initiated dual protection from pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV.

7 Mar 2016

IVF could reduce unintended twin births

The twin birth rate in the U.S. has surged over the last 30 years, mostly because of reproductive technologies including in vitro fertilization. Though it's partly the cause, IVF could also be the most promising solution to reducing unintended twin births, argues Dr. Eli Adashi in a new editorial in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

7 Mar 2016

Vitamin D supplements during pregnancy do not improve babies' bone health, but may have seasonal effect

Taking vitamin D supplements during pregnancy, as recommended for all women under UK guidelines, has no significant effect on the bone density of babies, according to the first randomised controlled trial of its kind, published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology journal.

7 Mar 2016

RUVICA (ibrutinib) capsules approved for treatment-naïve CLL patients

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved IMBRUVICA (ibrutinib) capsules for treatment-naïve patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

4 Mar 2016

Routine stress adversely affects women’s heart

While the number of men dying from a heart attack has been constantly decreasing during the past twenty years, the fatal risk particularly in young women has increased significantly. Gender medicine has already demonstrated that women exhibit different symptoms. A new insight shows that stress in the daily routine has particularly adverse effects on the hearts of women. This was emphasised by Alexandra Kautzky-Willer, Professor for Gender Medicine of MedUni Vienna, on the occasion of the impending International Women's Day on 8 March 2016.

4 Mar 2016

Pregnant women with acute migraine more likely to experience adverse birth outcomes

Women who have acute migraine attacks that are severe enough to prompt them to seek care may be more likely to have complications when giving birth, including preterm delivery, preeclampsia and low birthweight. Women 35 and older were seven times more likely to have these complications.

4 Mar 2016

Prebiotic may help curb obesity in moms and babies

Obesity is a global epidemic and the evidence is clear: if a mother is obese or gains too much weight during pregnancy chances are the child will be at higher risk of being obese throughout its life.

2 Mar 2016