Pregnancy News and Research

Latest Pregnancy News and Research

Waiting times for abortions in New Zealand need to be reduced

Women in New Zealand wait an average of 25 days to get a termination of pregnancy, from the date of their first visit to the doctor. Researchers writing in BioMed Central's open access journal Reproductive Health studied the timeliness of services provided at nine New Zealand clinics, finding that efforts need to be made by clinics and referring doctors to reduce the waiting times.

23 Jul 2010

Drugs can save African infants' lives

Researchers at the University of Sydney have found the combined intake of iron-folic acid supplements with World Health Organisation (WHO)-endorsed anti-malarial drugs during pregnancy could reduce early infant mortality in sub-Saharan Africa by a quarter.

22 Jul 2010

Four areas that impact weight, obesity in women identified

The information gap and general lack of understanding of obesity's unique and disproportionate impact on women contributes to the challenges of the 65 million American women who are considered overweight or obese, said the Strategies to Overcome and Prevent (STOP) Obesity Alliance Task Force on Women at a meeting on Capitol Hill today.

22 Jul 2010

Study reveals link between anti-TPO antibodies and placental abruption

Pregnant women with antibodies that can indicate early thyroid disease are three times as likely to have placental separation during labor, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found in a study of more than 17,000 women.

22 Jul 2010

Prototype ring with sensors helps to detect, prevent preterm labor

The birth of a baby is usually a joyous event, but when a child is born too early, worrisome complications can occur, including serious health problems for the baby and steep medical bills for the family. To address this, Johns Hopkins graduate students and their faculty adviser have invented a new system to pick up very early signs that a woman is going into labor too soon.

22 Jul 2010

Vaginal birth after previous C-section may be a safe option say doctors

According to new practice guidelines revealed for obstetricians by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists this Wednesday, a vaginal birth after a Caesarean section (VBAC) or maybe even after two C-sections can be a safe and appropriate choice.

21 Jul 2010

Early HIV treatment can save more children's lives

Efforts worldwide on access to treatment for children with HIV have reached a new milestone, with 355 000 children receiving life-saving HIV treatment at the end of 2009, compared to 276 000 at the end of 2008; but many more lives could be saved if more infants started on medication earlier according to new recommendations from WHO.

21 Jul 2010

AIDS 2010: Study finds microbicide containing HIV drug lowers infection risk in women by 39%

A microbicide gel containing Gilead's HIV drug tenofovir used by women before and after sex has been shown to reduce their risk of HIV infection by nearly 40%, according to a study unveiled at the International AIDS Conference-AIDS 2010, Reuters reports

21 Jul 2010

UMDNJ identifies direct link between phthalates in plastics and inflammation in newborns

Researchers at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) have identified a direct link between phthalates, the substances that make plastics more pliable and durable, and inflammation in newborns - and are encouraging more limited use of the plasticizers. Their paper, "Inflammatory Effects of Phthalates in Neonatal Neutrophils," appears in the August 2010 edition of the journal Pediatric Research.

21 Jul 2010

Study demonstrates direct link between juvenile compensatory growth and reproduction

University of California, Riverside biologists working on guppies - small freshwater fish that have been the subject of long-term studies - report that rapid growth responses to increased food availability after a period of growth restriction early in life have repercussions in adulthood.

21 Jul 2010

Genentech disappointed with FDA ODAC's recommendation against Avastin

Genentech, Inc., a member of the Roche Group, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC) voted 12 to one that use of Avastin® (bevacizumab) in combination with paclitaxel for previously untreated (first-line) advanced HER2-negative breast cancer be removed from Avastin's U.S. label.

21 Jul 2010

Opinions: AIDS vaccine and cure; China's role in the Global Fund; Child marriage prevention act; Gorbachev on safe water

A Globe and Mail editorial discusses the importance of "the quest for an AIDS vaccine and the search for a cure," stating that "it is simply not possible to 'treat' our way out of this disease." The authors write that "for every person who receives treatment - which must continue over their entire lifetime - about three new people become infected."

21 Jul 2010

Overweight and obese women at greater risk of preterm births

A new study by researchers at McMaster University shows overweight and obese women face greater risks of preterm births. Their babies may suffer serious health problems from being born too soon, especially earlier than 32 weeks.

21 Jul 2010

Ingestion of probiotic supplements prevents eczema: Study

Mothers who drank milk with a probiotic supplement during and after pregnancy were able to cut the incidence of eczema in their children by almost half,a new study published in the British Journal of Dermatology has shown.

21 Jul 2010

WHO announces new approaches to HIV prevention and treatment among children

20 Jul 2010

Phase 3 study: Tapentadol ER lowers incidence of gastrointestinal adverse events

A Phase 3 open-label study, recently published online by Pain Practice, has compared tapentadol extended release tablets, an investigational pain medication, to an existing prescription pain medication, oxycodone controlled release tablets.

20 Jul 2010

Abbott presents 48-week PROGRESS study results at 28th International AIDS Conference

Abbott today presented 48-week findings comparing an HIV regimen of its protease inhibitor (PI), Kaletra® (lopinavir/ritonavir), and Merck's integrase inhibitor, Isentress® (raltegravir), to a traditional HIV regimen of Kaletra and the nucleotide/nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) in Truvada® (tenofovir and emtricitabine) in antiretroviral-naive adult patients. Efficacy data were collected over the first 48 weeks of the 96-week PROGRESS (PROtease/InteGRasE Simplification Study) study.

20 Jul 2010

Olig1 and Olig2 genes are associated with Down syndrome, scientists identify

Down syndrome is a well known cause of mental retardation and other medical problems, including early onset of Alzheimer disease. It has long been known that Down syndrome is associated with an individual having an additional copy of chromosome 21. Research findings reported in the July 18 advanced online publication of Nature Neuroscience have narrowed down the critical genetic elements responsible for some aspects of Down syndrome.

19 Jul 2010

Capitol Hill hearing examines health, social consequences of child marriage

VOA News covered a hearing on Capitol Hill Thursday, which addressed child marriage in the developing world and its impact on girls and communities (Presto, 7/15).

17 Jul 2010

Mother’s obesity surgery may cause vitamin deficiencies in children

Biliopancreatic diversion surgery for morbid obesity is known to cause multiple vitamin deficiencies that may worsen during pregnancy. In the June issue of the Journal of AAPOS, the Official Publication of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, a group of Australian clinicians report a child who was born blind as a result of Vitamin A deficiency caused by his mother's obesity surgery.

17 Jul 2010