Pregnancy News and Research

Latest Pregnancy News and Research

Racial residential segregation linked to widening health disparities

The U.S. must reduce racial residential segregation if it is to reduce racial disparities in health outcomes, according to a recently published study by researchers at Tufts University School of Medicine.

29 Nov 2023

COVID-19 in pregnancy tied to higher preterm birth risk; early vaccine adoption shows protective effect

The impact of maternal coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection on infant health.

29 Nov 2023

‘Forever chemicals’ in thousands of private wells near military sites, study finds

Water tests show nearly 3,000 private wells located near 63 active and former U.S. military bases are contaminated with "forever chemicals" at levels higher than what federal regulators consider safe for drinking.

29 Nov 2023

COVID-19 in pregnancy raises preterm birth risk, vaccines offer crucial shield

Study reveals that pregnant women infected with COVID-19 had a higher risk of preterm delivery, with significant health and socioeconomic implications. However, early vaccination adopters showed protection from these effects, highlighting the critical role of vaccines in safeguarding future generations' health, especially in the U.S., where the study was conducted.

28 Nov 2023

Ohio State Wexner Medical Center wins $14 million award for aspirin dose study

A research team at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and College of Medicine has been approved for a $14 million award from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) to study whether a higher daily dose of aspirin is more effective in decreasing the risk of dangerous blood pressure complications among some pregnant people.

28 Nov 2023

Study exposes tobacco smoke's alarming impact on breast milk, elevating toxic elements

Study reveals that both active and passive tobacco smoke exposure during pregnancy or lactation significantly increases the levels of toxic micro-elements like mercury, cadmium, lead, and arsenic in breast milk, posing serious health risks to infants.

27 Nov 2023

Discrimination during pregnancy can harm the eveloping offspring brain

Experiences of discrimination and acculturation are known to have a detrimental effect on a person's health.

27 Nov 2023

COVID-19 caused premature births, but vaccines helped reverse the trend

COVID-19 caused an alarming surge in premature births, but vaccines were key to returning the early birth rate to pre-pandemic levels, according to a new analysis of California birth records.

27 Nov 2023

Health care is front and center as Desantis and Newsom go mano a mano

Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis and Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom — political rivals from opposite coasts and proxies for red and blue America — are set to square off for a first-of-its-kind debate Nov. 30 in Georgia.

27 Nov 2023

Genome haplarithmisis sheds light on complex genetic landscape of miscarriages

A new study published in Nature Medicine reports on a chromosomal analysis of over 1,700 spontaneous early miscarriages.

27 Nov 2023

Fiber-free diet key to treating childhood Crohn's disease, new study finds

Research reveals how a fiber-free diet in Exclusive Enteral Nutrition (EEN) helps treat Crohn's disease in children by affecting the intestinal pathobiont Mucispirillum schaedleri. It shows that this diet alters gut microbiota, reducing Mucispirillum's pathogenicity and aiding in managing colitis.

26 Nov 2023

Backlash to affirmative action hits pioneering maternal health program for Black women

For Briana Jones, a young Black mother in San Francisco, a city program called the Abundant Birth Project has been a godsend.

24 Nov 2023

What would a Desantis presidency look like for health care?

On the presidential campaign trail, Republican Ron DeSantis touts himself as a champion of medical freedom, outlawing vaccine mandates and protecting doctors who refuse to provide certain medical treatments on moral grounds.

24 Nov 2023

Maternal exercise shapes early yolk sac growth, varies with baby's sex

This study in Scientific Reports reveals that maternal physical activity impacts yolk sac development in early pregnancy, with effects varying based on gestational age and the sex of the embryo, underscoring the nuanced relationship between maternal behavior and embryonic growth.

23 Nov 2023

Non-invasive genetic test for fetal DNA sequencing developed

A team of investigators from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH), and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard have developed a non-invasive genetic test that can screen the blood of pregnant individuals to survey all genes for fetal DNA sequence variants.

22 Nov 2023

Black pregnant individuals at high risk for multiple mental health concerns

Black pregnant individuals frequently experience more than one mental health concern, according to findings published by Susan Gennaro, PhD, RN, FAAN, Professor in the William F. Connell School of Nursing at Boston College, and colleagues in The Nurse Practitioner.

22 Nov 2023