Pregnancy News and Research

Latest Pregnancy News and Research

First-born children are at higher risk of developing asthma and allergies due to pregnancy conditions

First-born children are at higher risk of developing asthma and allergy because of different conditions they experience in the uterus, according to new research from the Isle of Wight in the United Kingdom, which will be presented at the American Thoracic Society's 2008 International Conference in Toronto on Wednesday, May 21.

20 May 2008

Stiff competition for Viagra in the pipeline

Scientists in Scotland are in the process of developing a drug which could offer stiff competition to the drug Viagra.

20 May 2008

Mobile phone use during pregnancy may increase child's risk of behavioural problems

Danish and American scientists suggest that using mobile phones while pregnant may increase the risk of the child developing problems such as hyperactivity.

19 May 2008

Stress during pregnancy increases the risk of child developing asthma

New research from the U.S. suggests that women who suffer from stress during pregnancy may increase the risk of their child developing allergies.

19 May 2008

Prevalence of childhood obesity levels off in France

France may be the first country in the EU to see signs of a levelling off in the national prevalence of childhood obesity, according to the results of two new surveys.

15 May 2008

Poorer children have more eye problems than those from affluent families

Children from disadvantaged backgrounds are more likely to have certain problems with their eyes compared to children from more affluent backgrounds - a study in Bristol has reported. Children from disadvantaged backgrounds are also less likely to be taken to see an optician who could correct the eye problems with glasses, or to a screening programme where children's vision is checked and any problems are referred for treatment.

15 May 2008

Australian scientists use gene technology to improve IVF treatment

Research by a team of Australian scientists promises to improve the fertility treatment in vitro fertilisation (IVF).

15 May 2008

Even though they know better, women still drink alcohol while pregnant

A study by a consultant paediatrician at Westmead Children's Hospital in Sydney has found that as many as one third of Australian women admit to drinking alcohol when pregnant, even though they know it could affect their unborn child.

13 May 2008

A possible cure for pre-eclampsia

A condition which affects one in every ten pregnancies and is responsible for 1,000 baby deaths in Britain each year may have a genetic cause.

13 May 2008

Discovery of gene mutation which causes epilepsy and mental retardation - but only in women

An Australian and British research team have discovered a gene mutation that causes epilepsy and mental retardation but only in women.

12 May 2008

New clues into how preeclampsia may surface in some pregnancies

The COMT gene - known already for its role in schizophrenia - has been found to play a role in preeclampsia, according to a report in the advance on-line issue of Nature.

11 May 2008

Barr announces approval of generic version of Yasmin (drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol)

Barr Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has announced that its subsidiary, Barr Laboratories, Inc., has received final approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) to manufacture and market a generic version of Yasmin (drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol), an oral contraceptive product manufactured and marketed by Bayer Schering Pharma, AG.

9 May 2008

Rapid HIV tests highly effective in preventing mother-to-child HIV transmission in India

Rapid HIV tests have been found to be highly effective in preventing mother-to-child HIV transmission in clinical trials in India, according to a study published online Tuesday in PLoS Medicine, the Times of India reports (Sinha, Times of India, 5/7). For the study, the researchers used OraSure Technologies' OraQuick Advance Rapid HIV 1/2 Antibody Test (Derfel, Montreal Gazette, 5/6

8 May 2008

Mothers' high normal blood sugar levels place infants at risk for birth problems

Pregnant women with blood sugar levels in the higher range of normal - but not high enough to be considered diabetes - are more likely than women with lower blood sugar levels to give birth to babies at risk for many of the same problems seen in babies born to women with diabetes during pregnancy, according to a study funded in large part by the National Institutes of Health.

8 May 2008

ART drugs for pregnant women eradicates baby's risk of HIV

Researchers in Britain say a baby's risk of contracting HIV from its mother can be almost eradicated with the use of antiretroviral drugs.

8 May 2008

Too much or too little weight gain poses risks to pregnant mothers, babies

Women who gain more or less than recommended amounts of weight during pregnancy are likely to increase the risk of problems for both themselves and their child, according to a new report by the RTI International-University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Evidence-based Practice Center.

7 May 2008

Pregnant women face hostile behavior when applying for jobs

Pregnant women may still face judgment and obstacles to getting jobs, shows two recent studies by George Mason University and Rice University professors.

6 May 2008

Impact of round-the-clock, rapid oral fluid HIV testing of women in labor

Can HIV transmission in pregnancy in low income settings be prevented with round the clock rapid testing in labor?

6 May 2008

New saliva-based HIV test gives results in 20 minutes!

The usual waiting period for the results of a HIV test can seem like an eternity, especially in emergency situations where results are needed immediately. Also it requires a blood sample, which is invasive and often painful. Recognizing the urgent need for a faster and less invasive diagnostic method, Dr. Nitika Pant Pai, from Marina Klein's research team at the MUHC has just finished testing a new saliva-based test that gives results in approximately 20 minutes! She describes her findings in an article that will appear in the May 6th, 2008 issue of PLoS Medicine.

6 May 2008

Extra iron for infants who don't need it might delay development

A new study suggests that extra iron for infants who don't need it might delay development -- results that fuel the debate over optimal iron supplement levels and could have huge implications for the baby formula and food industry.

5 May 2008