http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/health_medicine/pregnancy_and_childbirth/ Do you think you might be pregnant? Learn about pregnancy and childbirth. Read current medical research on everything from prenatal risk factors to inducing labor. en-us Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:05:01 EST Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:05:01 EST 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/health_medicine/pregnancy_and_childbirth/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090903064442.htm Giving insecticide-treated bed nets to nearly 18,000 mothers at prenatal clinics in the Democratic Republic of Congo prevented an estimated 414 infant deaths from malaria, researchers conclude. Tue, 24 Nov 2009 02:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090903064442.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091124140949.htm Researchers have found that hormones produced during pregnancy induce a protein that directly inhibits the growth of breast cancer. This protein, alpha-fetoprotein, may serve as a viable, well-tolerated agent for the treatment and prevention of breast cancer, according to new findings. Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091124140949.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091123094135.htm A new study has found evidence that the amount and timing of alcohol consumption in pregnancy affects child behavior in different ways. Mon, 23 Nov 2009 23:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091123094135.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091111120257.htm Are you a female athlete -- or just someone who likes challenging workouts -- who also wants to get pregnant? It may make sense to ease off a bit as you try to get pregnant. New research shows that the body may not have enough energy to support both hard workouts and getting pregnant. Mon, 23 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091111120257.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109121127.htm Just one in three women gives birth after a single IVF attempt, but the cumulative chance of a live birth increases with each cycle -- where women are offered three cycles nearly two thirds go on to have babies, reveals new research. Sun, 22 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109121127.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091121093238.htm The addition of a "genetic sonogram" maximizes the accuracy of noninvasive testing for Down syndrome, according to new research. Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091121093238.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091118163550.htm There is good news for women with multiple sclerosis (MS) who are pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant. A new study shows that pregnant women with multiple sclerosis are only slightly more likely to have cesarean deliveries and babies with a poor prenatal growth rate than women who do not have MS. Thu, 19 Nov 2009 02:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091118163550.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091117191050.htm Women who experience preeclampsia, a serious complication of pregnancy, may have an increased risk for reduced thyroid functioning later in life, report researchers. Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091117191050.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091117102044.htm More than six percent of expectant mothers in Quebec, Canada, consume prescription drugs that are known to be harmful to their fetuses, according to a new study. Half these women will voluntarily terminate their pregnancy fearing congenital malformations, which means the abortion rate among these women is 11 percent higher than in the rest of the population. Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091117102044.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091117094825.htm More than a half million infants are born too soon each year and face the risk of lifetime health challenges as a result. Preterm birth is a serious health problem that costs the United States more than $26 billion annually. The United States again earned only a "D" on the second annual March of Dimes Premature Birth Report Card. As in 2008, no state earned an "A," and only Vermont received a "B." Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091117094825.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091116085040.htm A study of 145 preschool children reports, for the first time, that when the concentrations of two common phthalates in mothers' prenatal urine are elevated their sons are less likely to play with male-typical toys and games, such as trucks and play fighting. Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091116085040.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091113083930.htm Youth development programs that tackle deprivation and help children and young people enjoy school are successful in reducing teenage pregnancy rates. Mon, 16 Nov 2009 02:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091113083930.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091116131833.htm With 900,000 assisted reproduction treatments annually such as IVF and intrauterine inseminations in Europe the Commission's proposal to screen both partners before each treatment could lead to costs of over EUR 140 million annually. These figures do not include the additional overhead costs such as administration, personnel and documentation that the hospitals would have to carry on top of that. The new interpretation of the EU Directive would have substantial implications on the costs of fertility treatments in Europe. Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091116131833.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091112191513.htm Low birth weight increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life. Until recently scientists had attributed this to maternal malnutrition during pregnancy. However, now it seems that genetic background may also play a major role. Scientists have now demonstrated, that gene variants which influence insulin metabolism can also affect birth weight. Fri, 13 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091112191513.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091112131844.htm Contrary to more conservative customs, exercising up to the end of pregnancy has no harmful effect on the weight or size of the fetus, according to a new study. This study also shows a positive relationship between the weight of sedentary mothers before pregnancy and the size of their babies. Fri, 13 Nov 2009 02:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091112131844.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091110135413.htm Mathematicians are coupling mathematical models with information about a baby's physiology inside the womb. Combining ultrasound with powerful algorithms based on real-life data, pediatricians get critical data on the development of the fetal circulatory system, so they can determine when the baby is strong enough to survive on its own. Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091110135413.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029211543.htm Women who used psychiatric medication during pregnancy have triple the odds of delivering prematurely. Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029211543.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109174302.htm A major, long-term study of pregnant mothers and their fetuses as well as infant children to determine just how profoundly environmental factors early in life influence the onset of diseases such as obesity and diabetes in later years. Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109174302.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109142131.htm The lives of almost 4 million women, newborns, and children in sub-Saharan Africa could be saved every year if well-established, affordable health care interventions reached 90 percent of families. Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109142131.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109121328.htm Boys diagnosed with cancer before reaching puberty have a unique option for possibly preserving future fertility, which is often endangered by cancer therapies. In an experimental procedure, the boys can have a tiny portion of their testis removed and frozen for their potential future use. Parents of prepubertal boys are willing to agree to the procedure and are grateful for the opportunity, even though there is currently no guarantee of clinical success. Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109121328.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106145306.htm Washoe County, Nevada, U.S., experienced a cluster of a particular birth defect, gastroschisis, during the period April 2007 - April 2008. Gastroschisis is a birth defect that occurs early in pregnancy, characterized by incomplete closure of the baby's abdominal wall. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106145306.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105092607.htm From their very first days, newborns' cries already bear the mark of the language their parents speak, reveals a new study. The findings suggest that infants begin picking up elements of what will be their first language in the womb, and certainly long before their first babble or coo. Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105092607.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104111735.htm A new study may have shed light on the rise in childhood asthma in developed countries like Australia in recent decades. Researchers have identified a link between folic acid supplements taken in late pregnancy and allergic asthma in children aged between 3 and 5 years, suggesting that the timing of supplementation in pregnancy is important. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104111735.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103153754.htm Obese women are as much as 28 percent less likely to become pregnant and have a successful pregnancy, according to new research. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103153754.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102171417.htm Penicillin and several other antibacterial medications commonly taken by pregnant women do not appear to be associated with many birth defects, according to a new report. However, other antibiotics, such as sulfonamides and nitrofurantoins, may be associated with several severe birth defects and require additional scrutiny. Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102171417.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102172431.htm Healthy pregnant women mount a robust immune response following just one dose of 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine, according to initial results from an ongoing clinical trial. Tue, 03 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102172431.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102172439.htm Infants born to women who received influenza vaccine during pregnancy were hospitalized at a lower rate than infants born to unvaccinated mothers, according to preliminary results of an ongoing study. Mon, 02 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102172439.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091028112800.htm Offspring whose mothers had been supplemented with iron-folic acid during pregnancy had dramatically reduced mortality through age 7. Mon, 02 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091028112800.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029211541.htm Pregnant women who catch the flu are at serious risk for flu-related complications, including death, and that risk far outweighs the risk of possible side effects from injectable vaccines containing killed virus, according to an extensive review. Mon, 02 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029211541.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091030105028.htm Scientists have completed a phase II clinical study that indicates a vaccine to prevent Group B Streptococcus infection is possible. Sat, 31 Oct 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091030105028.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091027132422.htm New evidence is emerging for how important it is for pregnant women to eat good, nutritious food. Expecting mothers who eat vegetables every day seem to have children who are less likely to develop type 1 diabetes. Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091027132422.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091028142225.htm Human embryonic stem cells derived from excess IVF embryos may help scientists unlock the mysteries of infertility for other couples struggling to conceive, according to new research. Researchers at the school have devised a way to efficiently coax the cells to become human germ cells -- the precursors of egg and sperm cells -- in the laboratory. Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091028142225.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091028114019.htm Pregnant women with significant symptoms of depression tend to have a stronger biological reaction to the seasonal flu vaccine than do women with lower depression levels, according to a new study. The finding provides an argument in favor of flu vaccination during pregnancy, researchers say, because it suggests that the immune systems in depressed pregnant women are not functioning typically. This immune dysregulation could affect symptom severity among women who become infected with influenza. Wed, 28 Oct 2009 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091028114019.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091028134631.htm It has long been suggested that healthy folate levels in expectant mothers goes hand in hand with healthy nervous system development in their children. Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091028134631.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026220007.htm In a clinical trial investigating mother-to-child HIV transmission in South Africa researchers find that adding two other antiretroviral drugs to single dose nevirapine -- an antiretroviral drug given to women and newborn children during labor and delivery to prevent transmission -- is effective in reducing the drug resistance that nevirapine causes when used by itself. Wed, 28 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026220007.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026231845.htm Feeding high-fat food to pregnant mice can affect their pups' brain development in ways that may cause them to be more vulnerable to obesity and to engage in addictive-like behaviors in adulthood, a new study has found. Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026231845.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091027132253.htm Anxiety in pregnant women impacts their babies' size and gestational age. Specifically, women with more severe and chronic anxiety during pregnancy are more likely to have affected babies. Tue, 27 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091027132253.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026231740.htm Could a woman's food choices during pregnancy affect not only the size and health of her children, but of her grandchildren? Yes, suggests a new study. Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026231740.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091025162450.htm A rare form of testicular tumor has provided scientists with new insights into how genetic changes arise in our children. The research could explain why certain diseases are more common in the children of older fathers. Mon, 26 Oct 2009 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091025162450.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026093715.htm Sperm, and not just the fluid it bathes in, can transmit HIV to macrophages, T cells, and dendritic cells (DCs), researchers report. By infecting DCs, which carry the virus and potently pass it to T cells, sperm may play a leading role in spreading HIV. Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026093715.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091022114309.htm Adult male monkeys exposed to cocaine while in the womb have poor impulse control and may be more vulnerable to drug abuse than female monkeys, even a decade or more after the exposure, according to a new study. The findings could lead to a better understanding of human drug abuse. The study was presented yesterday at the annual Society for Neuroscience meeting in Chicago. Sat, 24 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091022114309.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091020181255.htm The proportion of in vitro fertilization multiple births was lower in the eight states that provide insurance coverage for couples seeking IVF treatment, primarily due to fewer embryos transferred per cycle, researchers report. Fri, 23 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091020181255.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091021101814.htm Exposure to a combination of excess stress hormones and chemicals while in the womb could affect a man's fertility in later life, a study suggests. Researchers looked at the effect of stress hormones -- glucocorticoids -- combined with a common chemical used in glues, paints and plastics. They found that the combination strikingly increased the likelihood of reproductive birth defects. Thu, 22 Oct 2009 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091021101814.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091021100506.htm Embryos that are most likely to result in a pregnancy are crucial to the success of in vitro fertilization (IVF) but are difficult to identify. Researchers are now developing a fast, noninvasive test to help assess embryo viability for IVF. Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091021100506.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091022114305.htm The International Diabetes Federation launched three diabetes guidelines on the Self-Monitoring of Blood Glucose, Pregnancy and Oral Health at its 20th World Diabetes Congress in Montreal. This is especially important as, alarmingly, the latest data from the IDF Diabetes Atlas show that over 285 million people worldwide now live with diabetes. Within 20 years, IDF predicts the figure will jump to 435 million. Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091022114305.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091022101536.htm Midwives often struggle to meet the needs of pregnant women who are lesbians, according to a study of 30-46 year-olds just published. The majority felt that health-care staff focused more on their sexuality than their needs as pregnant women and prospective parents. Researchers are now calling for special training for midwives, more neutral health-care routines and forms and special education groups for pregnant women who are lesbians and their partners. Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091022101536.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091021172653.htm Obese women gain more than the recommended amount during pregnancy then retain added weight one year postpartum. This is the largest US study to examine the relationship between excessive weight gain during pregnancy and weight retention specifically in pregnant women who are obese. Wed, 21 Oct 2009 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091021172653.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091021100738.htm A new study suggests that maternal smoking may increase the level of distress of newborns. Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091021100738.htm