Pregnancy News and Research

Latest Pregnancy News and Research

Marijuana use prior to pregnancy can increase risk of preterm birth

A large international study led by University of Adelaide researchers has found that women who use marijuana can more than double the risk of giving birth to a baby prematurely.

18 Jul 2012

Heart defects at birth linked to workplace exposure to solvents

Workplace exposure to organic solvents is linked to several types of heart defects at birth, indicates research published online in Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

18 Jul 2012

Risk of birth defects linked to certain jobs dads do

Several types of job carried out by future fathers may be linked to an increased risk of birth defects in their babies, suggests research published online in Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

18 Jul 2012

WCMC receives NHLBI grant to study smoking-induced COPD

Researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College were awarded a $6.5 million grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute for a five-year investigation into metabolic changes occurring within airway epithelial cells in the lungs of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients caused by cigarette smoking. In addition, researchers aim to identify which cigarette smokers are at highest risk of developing COPD as well as novel biomarkers to assist in the development of new therapeutic treatments for the disease.

17 Jul 2012

First Edition: July 17, 2012

Today's headlines include a report that concludes that few Americans will pay more as a result of the health law.

17 Jul 2012

Commitments announced at London summit show power of family planning evidence

"High levels of unmet need for contraception around the world have a very negative impact on women's and children's health and survival as well as on the prosperity of communities and nations," Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) writes in the Huffington Post's "Global Motherhood" blog.

17 Jul 2012

U.S. FDA approves Gilead’s Truvada to minimize risk of sexually-acquired HIV infection

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Truvada (emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate), the first drug approved to reduce the risk of HIV infection in uninfected individuals who are at high risk of HIV infection and who may engage in sexual activity with HIV-infected partners. Truto reduce the risk of sexually-acquired HIV infection in adults at high risk.

17 Jul 2012

Better diet before pregnancy lowers GDM risk

Adhering to a healthy diet before pregnancy can significantly reduce a woman’s likelihood for developing gestational diabetes mellitus, show study findings published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

16 Jul 2012

UCB’s Neupro now available in U.S. pharmacies

UCB announced today that Neupro (Rotigotine Transdermal System) is now available in U.S. pharmacies. Neupro was approved by the U.S Food and Drug Administration in April to treat the signs and symptoms of early and advanced stage idiopathic Parkinson's disease and moderate-to-severe primary Restless Legs Syndrome.

16 Jul 2012

Ariz. abortion law challenged in lawsuit; Mo. Gov. vetoes contraception bill

News outlets look at these developments in states and also assess overall efforts this year by state legislatures to restrict abortions as some states to continue to press against the Obama administration's contraceptive coverage mandate.

14 Jul 2012

Antipsychotic use in pregnancy should be closely monitored

Use of any type of antipsychotic during pregnancy increases the risk for women developing gestational diabetes, show Swedish study results that also indicate a link between antipsychotics and a risk for giving birth to a small for gestational age infant.

13 Jul 2012

FDA approves Watson's ANDA for Next Choice ONE DOSE emergency contraceptive

Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that its subsidiary Watson Laboratories, Inc., has received approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) for Next Choice ONE DOSE (Levonorgestrel Tablet, 1.5 mg), the generic equivalent to Teva Women's Health's Plan B One-Step. Watson plans to launch the product immediately.

13 Jul 2012

Opinion pieces address family planning issues on World Population Day

The London Summit on Family Planning took place Wednesday, July 11, also recognized as World Population Day. The goal of the summit was to raise money to improve access to family planning services to prevent maternal and child mortality. The following summaries describe opinion pieces that address these issues.

13 Jul 2012

Abused children may become obese adults

Severity of abuse in childhood or adolescence is associated with an increased risk for overall and central obesity in adulthood, report researchers.

12 Jul 2012

Lifestyle behaviour in adolescents may adversely affect BP and cardiovascular risk in adulthood

Lifestyle behaviour in adolescents may adversely affect blood pressure and cardiovascular risk in adulthood, according to results from a large pregnancy follow-up study in Australia. In particular, alcohol consumption among boys, use of the Pill among girls, and high salt intake and increasing body mass index (BMI) in both sexes were important factors linked to blood pressure levels in late adolescence.

12 Jul 2012

Gates Foundation, U.K. Government expected to announce additional funding for family planning at London summit

The U.K. Government and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation with UNFPA and other partners on Wednesday, July 11, are hosting the London Summit on Family Planning, which aims "to raise $4 billion to expand access to contraception for 120 million women in the developing world by 2020," according to Reuters. At the summit, the Gates Foundation "is set to unveil funding a sum in the hundreds of millions of dollars for a campaign to improve access to contraception in the developing world," the news service notes.

12 Jul 2012

WHO commits to fast-track assessment of new and existing quality contraceptives

WHO today committed to fast-track its assessment of new and existing quality contraceptives so more women in low- and middle-income countries can obtain and use a broader range of safe and effective contraceptive products.

12 Jul 2012

Health risks associated with H1N1 vaccine investigated

Results from two studies published in JAMA show that the H1N1 vaccination is associated with a small, but significant, increase in risk for Guillain-Barré syndrome in adults, but does not increase the risk for birth defects or problems when given to pregnant women.

11 Jul 2012

Guardian columnist examines family planning in Nepal

In a Guardian opinion piece, part of the series "The politics of family planning," columnist Zoe Williams examines family planning Nepal. Noting her trip to the country with Save the Children, Williams discusses a number of barriers to family planning for Nepalese women -- including the practice of child marriage, stigma surrounding menstruation, and cultural beliefs about contraception -- and writes, "In Nepal, opportunities for women are not all they should be, and child pregnancy is a big issue."

11 Jul 2012

Exposure to H1N1 vaccine in pregnancy does not increase risk of adverse fetal outcomes

In studies examining the risk of adverse outcomes after receipt of the influenza A(H1N1) vaccine, infants exposed to the vaccine in utero did not have a significantly increased risk of major birth defects, preterm birth, or fetal growth restriction; while in another, study researchers found a small increased risk in adults of the nervous system disorder, Guillain-Barre syndrome, during the 4 to 8 weeks after vaccination, according to 2 studies in the July 11 issue of JAMA.

11 Jul 2012