Of the nearly 4 million births each year in the United States, roughly 50,000 are marked by life-threatening complications, and up to 900 result in maternal death during delivery.
Tag: Placenta
‘Placenta-on-a-chip’ Mimics Malaria-infected Nutrient Exchange between Mother-Fetus
Combining microbiology with engineering technologies, this novel 3D model uses a single microfluidic chip to study the complicated processes that take place in malaria-infected placenta as well as other placenta-related diseases and pathologies. The technology supports formation of microengineered placental barriers and mimics blood circulations, which provides alternative approaches for testing and screening.
Mouse study links air pollution exposure to adverse outcomes in pregnancy
A new study in mice by UCLA scientists reveals how exposure to traffic-related air pollutants causes cellular changes in the placenta that can lead to pregnancy complications and affect the health of both mother and offspring.
Nanoparticles Can Cross the Placenta During Pregnancy, Potentially Exposing Fetus
Inhaled nanoparticles – human-made specks so minuscule they can’t be seen in conventional microscopes, found in thousands of common products – can cross a natural, protective barrier that normally protects fetuses, according to Rutgers University scientists studying factors that produce low-birth-weight babies.
Progesterone from an unexpected source may affect miscarriage risk
Progesterone signaling is key to a healthy pregnancy. An Austrian team’s research suggests a link between recurrent miscarriage and disrupted progesterone synthesis.

Babies burdened by environmental estrogens in mothers’ wombs
Early childhood life in the womb is particularly sensitive to the effects of environmental pollutants. A team from Empa and the University of Vienna has now for the first time been able to show how a pollutant from contaminated food – the environmental estrogen zearalenone – spreads in the womb and is metabolized into harmful metabolites.