Pregnancy News and Research

Latest Pregnancy News and Research

Skilled midwives in world's poorest nations save lives of women and babies

A modest increase in the number of skilled midwives in the world's poorest nations could save the lives of a substantial number of women and their babies, according to new analyses by researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

26 Jun 2014

OSNP program addresses potential gaps in outpatient settings

An innovative framework for identifying and addressing potential gaps in health care in outpatient settings using electronic clinical surveillance tools has been used to target patient safety across a variety of conditions, according to a study published today in the journal eGEMs.

26 Jun 2014

Obesity before pregnancy can lead to preterm births

Women who are obese before they become pregnant face an increased risk of delivering a very premature baby, according to a new study of nearly 1 million California births.

25 Jun 2014

Prevalence of type 2 diabetes 5 times higher in women with PCOS

A leading expert on reproductive health says young women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) have a startlingly higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, even if young and not overweight.

25 Jun 2014

Animal study: Common BPA substitute alters brain development, causes hyperactive behavior

A chemical found in many "BPA free" consumer products, known as bisphenol S (BPS), is just as potent as bisphenol A (BPA) in altering brain development and causing hyperactive behavior, an animal study finds.

24 Jun 2014

Researchers employ mixture of saline and air bubbles to assess fallopian tubes

Many women struggling to become pregnant may suffer from some degree of tubal blockage. Traditionally, an x-ray hysterosalpingogram (HSG) that uses dye is the most common procedure to determine whether a blockage exists, but it can cause extreme discomfort to the patient.

24 Jun 2014

Small molecule in pregnant women's urine apparently blocks cancer growth

University of Montreal scientists have identified a small molecule found in pregnant women's urine that apparently blocks the growth of several types of cancers, including AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma, which currently has no cure.

24 Jun 2014

Women who develop gestational diabetes perform worse on cognitive function tests

Women who develop diabetes during pregnancy, called gestational diabetes, perform worse on cognitive function tests than do women with a normal pregnancy, according to a new study from Turkey.

23 Jun 2014

Complementary medicines: an interview with Associate Professor Evelin Tiralongo, Griffith University

Complementary medicines are generally being defined as medicines which are non-mainstream medicines and are mostly given together with conventional medicines.

23 Jun 2014

Agricultural pesticides raise risk of autism in unborn children

Pregnant women who lived in close proximity to fields and farms where chemical pesticides were applied experienced a two-thirds increased risk of having a child with autism spectrum disorder or other developmental delay, a study by researchers with the UC Davis MIND Institute has found. The associations were stronger when the exposures occurred during the second and third trimesters of the women's pregnancies.

23 Jun 2014

Bisexual men are vulnerable to STIs and other health problems

Bisexual men have many unmet public health needs, which leave them vulnerable to sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and other health problems. This new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) illuminates the behavioral, interpersonal, and social realities of men who have sex with men and women (MSMW), and it explores possible interventions to better serve their needs.

23 Jun 2014

Longer looks: Caregivers effort to stay well; patients who turn to religion for cures; new views on postpartum depression

More than 65 million people, or 29 percent of the U.S. population, provide care for a chronically ill, disabled or aged family members or friends during any given year, and spend an average of 20 hours per week providing that care.

20 Jun 2014

Doctor shares simple steps for women to keep breasts youthful

Aging affects the breasts just like the rest of the body. Skin stretches over time and the breasts start to sag, while sun exposure causes age spots and wrinkles on the decolletage.

19 Jun 2014

NICHD urged to enhance scientific expertise of National Children's Study program

A study that would track the health of 100,000 babies to age 21 has been put on hold following the release of an assessment report issued June 16 by the National Research Council and Institute of Medicine (IOM).

19 Jun 2014

State highlights: Illinois Medicaid digital shift delayed; N.C. hospitals fight cuts; heroin in New England

Alexian Brothers Health System is suspending its effort to launch a new Medicaid program, blaming the difficulty of connecting physicians using different electronic records systems. The Arlington Heights, Ill.-based health system was spearheading a so-called accountable care entity (ACE) to coordinate the care of about 46,000 patients on Medicaid, the state-federal health insurance program for the poor and disabled. The ACEs are a form of managed care, one of Gov. Pat Quinn's initiatives to focus on preventative treatment to keep patients healthy and reduce health care costs (Schorsch, 6/17).

19 Jun 2014