Pregnancy News and Research

Latest Pregnancy News and Research

Magnetic resonance imaging technique of choice to exam pregnant patients with possible appendicitis

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) gives physicians a safe and accurate tool for the diagnosis of appendicitis in pregnant patients without the increased risks of radiation to the patient and fetus, according to a study performed at the University of Virginia, in Charlottesville, VA.

23 Apr 2009

64-slice CT scanner most dose efficient for evaluating pregnant patients with possible pulmonary emboli

The 64-slice CT scanner delivers the most efficient radiation dose to pregnant patients with possible pulmonary emboli (PE) providing less risk to the fetus, according to a study performed at SUNY Stony Brook University Medical Center in Stony Brook, NY.

23 Apr 2009

Hard evidence for SIDS babies

By analysing the brain tissue of babies suspected of having died of SIDS, Dr Rita Machaalani and Dr Karen Waters from the Faculty of Medicine and the University's Bosch Institute have shown that cigarette smoke induces abnormalities in babies' brains, putting them at greater risk.

22 Apr 2009

Genetics may help explain alcohol-related susceptibility and resistance

Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can lead to teratogenesis, the development of embryonic defects.

22 Apr 2009

Study finds link between a mother's height and the health of her children

Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) have found a link between a mother's height and the health of her children in a study using national data from India.

22 Apr 2009

Pregnancy hormone hCG protects against breast cancer even in short-term treatments

One of the most effective ways to prevent breast cancer is through a full-term pregnancy at an early age.

21 Apr 2009

Is metabolic character different between men and women with gallstone disease?

There are a cluster of metabolic syndrome, that include obesity, high level of fasting plasma glucose, hypertriglyceridemia and hypertension, which is closely associated with the increased morbidity and mortality caused by several of the most common diseases including diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, cancer and gallstone disease.

20 Apr 2009

Maternal immune response to fetal brain during pregnancy a key factor in some autism

New studies in pregnant mice using antibodies against fetal brains made by the mothers of autistic children show that immune cells can cross the placenta and trigger neurobehavioral changes similar to autism in the mouse pups.

20 Apr 2009

Exercise during pregnancy need not require stealing time from other activities

No one doubts that mothers - especially pregnant mothers - are among the busiest people on earth.

20 Apr 2009

Women who wear veils risk vitamin D deficiency

A study by Australian scientists has found that women who wear veils for religious or cultural reasons may not be getting enough vitamin D.

20 Apr 2009

Canadian study finds immigrant women may be at greater risk of having a baby with a birth defect

Immigrant women are less likely to use folic acid supplements before pregnancy to prevent spina bifida, particularly those who recently immigrated to the country, according to a new study led by a St. Michael's Hospital physician in collaboration with Statistics Canada, Health Canada and the University of Toronto.

16 Apr 2009

An African child dies every 30 seconds from Malaria

An African child dies every 30 seconds from this same disease; nearly a half billion people become ill because of it. About 1 million children under the age of 5 die each year from malaria -- a disease that is entirely preventable.

16 Apr 2009

Evidence grows that maternal immune response to fetal brain during pregnancy a key factor in some autism

16 Apr 2009

Researchers examine link between Tourette syndrome and ADHD

The most disabling aspect of Tourette syndrome is that in 90% of cases, it exists in conjunction with another disorder.

15 Apr 2009

Prenatal exposure to influenza virus shown to reduce intelligence in adulthood

The Hong Kong flu pandemic was responsible for more than 700,000 deaths worldwide in the late 1960s, with major disease outbreaks in Europe in the winter of 1969-1970.

15 Apr 2009

Mehamphetamine use during pregnancy causes abnormal brain development in children

A first of its kind study examining the effects of methamphetamine use during pregnancy has found the drug appears to cause abnormal brain development in children.

15 Apr 2009

Valproate exposure during pregnancy can impair a child's cognitive development

Three-year-olds whose mothers took the antiepileptic drug valproate during pregnancy had average IQs six to nine points lower than children exposed to three other antiepileptic drugs, a landmark multi-center study has found.

15 Apr 2009

Stressed pregnant women more likely to have asthmatic children

Pregnant women who are stressed, particularly late in pregnancy, have an increased risk of their child going on to develop asthma, according to the latest research from Children of the 90s.

15 Apr 2009

Healthy baby born 22 years after father's sperm was frozen

Twenty two years after his sperm was frozen because he had leukaemia, a man has fathered a healthy baby girl.

15 Apr 2009

Maternal positions and mobility during first stage of labor

Women who walk, sit, kneel or otherwise avoid lying in bed during early labor can shorten the first stage of labor by about an hour, according to a new Cochrane evidence review.

14 Apr 2009