Researchers available for interview about their new studies and other women’s health topics
Tag: Pregnancy
CDC Sharply Overestimates Maternal Death Rate, New Study Finds
Researchers from Rutgers Health and other institutions dispute claims that the maternal death rate in the United States has climbed steeply in the past two decades.
Michigan Ross Professor Sarah Miller Examines Relationship of Reproductive Health and Economics in Financial Times Poll
Access to reproductive health care — and abortion in particular — is an issue that resonates with voters’ deeply held personal beliefs and reflects their underlying moral, philosophical, and religious views. But is it also an economic issue?
RUDN doctors found a mechanism of preeclampsia development
RUDN University doctors studied immunohistochemical markers in patients with normal pregnancy and preeclampsia and noticed patterns.
Postpartum heart risk: Tips for young moms who may be unaware of long-term dangers
Young women with healthy hearts may be unaware they face elevated risks of developing heart disorders after becoming pregnant. Even worse, the issue may go undetected for years after giving birth because symptoms may mimic those of pregnancy. Dr. Rina…
Males born to obese mothers more likely to suffer health issues as adults
Males born to obese women are more likely to be overweight at birth and develop metabolic complications in later life, including liver disease and diabetes.
A Noninvasive Way to Measure Placental Health
A healthy placenta is critical for a healthy baby. But unfortunately, there’s no direct way to measure how well this important organ is working.
Autoimmune disease and pregnancy
For many aspiring mothers with autoimmune disease, pregnancy can be daunting and full of unknowns.
Study provides new explanation for why placenta may not properly separate at birth, putting mother and newborn at risk
A new study led by researchers at UCLA may change the way clinicians and scientists understand, diagnose and treat placenta accreta spectrum disorder, a serious condition in which the placenta fails to separate from the uterus at birth, jeopardizing the life and health of both mother and baby.
Flame-Retardant Chemicals May Increase Risk of Preterm Birth, Higher Birth Weight
Rutgers Health participated in a federal study that found certain organophosphate esters were linked to increased risk of early birth, especially in girls
UC Irvine-led study links long-term air pollution exposure to postpartum depression in SoCal
Irvine, Calif., Oct. 31, 2023 — Long-term maternal exposure to common air pollutants, both before and after childbirth, has been linked to increased risk of postpartum depression for mothers – with symptoms ranging from anxiety and irritability to suicide – and may lead to cognitive, emotional, psychological and behavioral impairments in their infants, according to research led by the University of California, Irvine.
Center Will Support Healthy Pregnancies by Detecting Placenta Problems Sooner
Rutgers teams up with four other universities to form a new research center in Piscataway.
High Pregnancy Weight Gain Tied to Higher Risk of Later Death
Findings from 50 years of data highlighted the health risks when more weight is gained in pregnancy than recommended, especially when it comes to heart disease- and diabetes-related mortality
Oula Announces Third Clinic And Expanded Partnership With Mount Sinai Health System To Provide Wider Access To Collaborative Maternity Care
Oula-Mount Sinai West partnership offers patients the best of obstetrics and midwifery, with midwife-led delivery supported by leading hospital’s expertise and resources
Two easy fixes could reduce bleeding after cesarean delivery
Two simple solutions could help prevent severe bleeding (postpartum hemorrhage) after cesarean delivery, suggests research presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY® 2023 annual meeting. As the leading cause of maternal mortality in the U.S. at the time of birth, postpartum hemorrhage is more common after cesarean deliveries than vaginal births.
No universal body image experience in pregnancy – study
A new study has discovered large variations in how pregnancy can affect women’s perceptions of their own body, including experiences of negative body image.
Maternal obesity predicts heart disease risk better than pregnancy complications
Pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia and gestational diabetes have recently been associated with a higher risk of developing heart disease later in life. But a new Northwestern Medicine study has found obesity before or during pregnancy is the actual root cause of future cardiovascular disease.
Faster growth of the placenta is linked to increased risk of preeclampsia
Research sheds light on how genetics influences the growth of the placenta and reveals a link to increased risk of disease in the mother.
Brain is ‘rewired’ during pregnancy to prepare for motherhood
Researchers at the Francis Crick Institute have shown that pregnancy hormones ‘rewire’ the brain to prepare mice for motherhood.
Pregnant women offered new hope for safe and effective gestational diabetes treatment
Researchers at University of Galway have taken a significant step forward in the management of gestational diabetes mellitus after a clinical trial involving pregnant women provided new hope for expectant mothers suffering the condition.
Rh sensitization treatment may be unnecessary in first trimester pregnancies
A special immune treatment may not be necessary until after the first trimester of pregnancy, according to Penn State-led research. The researchers said their results could change pregnancy care guidelines and possibly close global health equity gaps.
Wearable device data reveals that reduced sleep and activity in pregnancy is linked to premature birth risk
A lack of sleep and reduced physical activity during pregnancy are linked to risk of preterm birth, according to new research led by the Stanford School of Medicine.
HMH Physician Awarded $5.6 Million NIH Grant as part of National ECHO Study To Assess Environmental Influences on Health and Development of Children with Disabilities
Dr. Judy Aschner continues her investigations into childhood development
Study finds the placenta holds answers to many unexplained pregnancy losses
Yale researchers have shown that placental examination resulted in the accurate pathologic determination of more than 90% of previously unexplained pregnancy losses, a discovery that they say may inform pregnancy care going forward.
In major breakthrough, researchers close in on preeclampsia cure
Researchers from Western and Brown University have made groundbreaking progress towards identifying the root cause and potential therapy for preeclampsia.
Understanding the Surge in Cannabis Use among Pregnant and Postpartum Women in the US
Rutgers researcher leads effort to map associations between mental health disorders, cannabis use and cannabis use disorder during pregnancy and postpartum in the United States
Sugars in breastmilk could help treat infections, prevent preterm births
Certain sugars naturally found in breastmilk could help prevent infections before a baby arrives. Researchers reporting in ACS Central Science have found that these sugars can stop a common prenatal infection in human tissues and pregnant mice.
Digital Therapeutics and Innovations in GI Highlighted in the August Issue of AJG
The August issue of The American Journal of Gastroenterology includes several articles on digital therapeutics and innovations in GI, encouraging adoption of emerging GI technologies to advance GI care.
Workplace discrimination is rife for pregnant women and working parents
A survey of new Australian mums released in World Breastfeeding Week (1-7 August) reveals that a quarter of their workplaces did not provide appropriate breastfeeding facilities when returning from maternity leave.
Abortion facility access means long drives for 41.8% of women
One year after the Dobbs decision, 41.8% of U.S. women of reproductive age have to drive 30 minutes or more to reach an abortion care facility, according to a study of data as of June 2, 2023. Researchers predicted that number would rise to 53.5% if other state bills under consideration are passed.
Unlocking a Mystery of Fetal Development
Rutgers study of cadmium in pregnant women yields crucial insights into the placenta’s role in regulating toxin exposure
Mitochondrial Changes Linked to High Blood Pressure in Pregnancy
A new study provides evidence for the possibility that mitochondrial dysregulation could be a contributing factor in the development of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. The study is published in Physiological Genomics. It was chosen as an APSselect article for July.
Tracing maternal behavior to brain immune function
Immune system changes in the pregnant body that protect the fetus appear to extend to the brain, where a decrease in immune cells late in gestation may factor into the onset of maternal behavior, new research in rats suggests.
Ohio State Receives $12 Million to Study Effectiveness of Therapies for Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes is on the rise among pregnant people, and now Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center has received a $12 million funding award from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) to define the best treatment. The study will compare oral metformin versus injectable insulin.
In historic procedure, donor liver protects heart transplant
Doctors in Seattle are reporting a history-making case in which a patient received two donor organs, a liver and a heart, to prevent the extreme likelihood that her body would reject a donor heart transplanted alone. In this innovative case, the organ recipient’s own healthy liver was transplanted, domino-like, into a second patient who had advanced liver disease.
Blood pressure patterns in the first half of pregnancy improve early prediction of preeclampsia and gestational hypertension
Routine blood pressure readings recorded in the first half of pregnancy can be divided into 6 distinct patterns that can effectively stratify patients by their risk of developing preeclampsia and gestational hypertension later in pregnancy, Kaiser Permanente researchers found.
Postpartum morbidity and mortality in women with epilepsy: A 28-year study
A 28-year study found increased risks of preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, ICU admission during hospitalization for delivery, postpartum hospitalization, and an increased risk of mortality compared with pregnant women who did not have epilepsy.
Gestational diabetes cases increased during the COVID-19 pandemic
More pregnant women developed gestational diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic than in the preceding two years, according to research being presented on Thursday at ENDO 2023, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in Chicago, Ill.
Why women with multiple sclerosis get better when pregnant
Women suffering from the autoimmune disease multiple sclerosis temporarily get much better when pregnant. Researchers have now identified the beneficial changes naturally occurring in the immune system during pregnancy.
Women with a first normal weight offspring and a small second offspring have increased risk of cardiovascular mortality
A new study from the University of Bergen reveals that including offspring birthweight information from women’s subsequent births, is helpful in identifying a woman’s long-term risk of dying from cardiovascular causes.
Medicaid Reform Lies at the Heart of Efforts to Address the US Maternal Health Crisis
Medicaid must be part of any solution to address the current maternal mortality crisis and racial inequities in the United States, according to a new analysis by researchers at the George Washington University.
Occasional cannabis use during pregnancy may be enough to impact fetal growth significantly
As more people use cannabis for recreational purposes, attitudes towards the drug have changed. For example, research has shown that dispensaries often recommend cannabis – also referred to as marijuana – to pregnant women to ease pregnancy symptoms, especially morning sickness.
Calls for more positive health messaging around fertility
The language used to communicate fertility awareness should be more empathetic and target both men and women, finds a new study involving UCL researchers.
Risk of developing type 2 diabetes displayed in early pregnancy blood samples
Researchers from the University of Turku in Finland discovered that women who developed prediabetes after pregnancy had aberrations already in their early pregnancy blood serum metabolomic profile.
Researchers create embryo-like structures from monkey embryonic stem cells for the first time
Human embryo development and early organ formation remain largely unexplored due to ethical issues surrounding the use of embryos for research as well as limited availability of materials to study.
Long-term mortality in individuals diagnosed with cancer during pregnancy or postpartum
About The Study: This population-based study found that pregnancy-associated cancers had increased overall 5-year mortality, though not all cancer sites presented the same risk. Authors: Amy Metcalfe, Ph.D., of the University of Calgary in Calgary, Canada, is the corresponding author. To access…
Higher lithium levels in drinking water may raise autism risk
Pregnant women whose household tap water had higher levels of lithium had a moderately higher risk of their offspring being diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, researchers reported in JAMA Pediatrics.
Mental distress among female individuals of reproductive age after overturning of Roe v Wade
This case control study found that for female individuals, the loss of abortion rights was associated with a 10% increase in prevalence of mental distress relative to the mean over the three months after the Supreme Court of the U.S. decision.
Gut microbes can help diagnose gestational diabetes as early as the first trimester of pregnancy
A new Bar-Ilan University study has found that gestational diabetes can be diagnosed as early as the first trimester of pregnancy — months earlier than typically detected.
Treatment Options for Pregnant Women Living with Eczema and Psoriasis
Psoriasis and eczema affect men and women differently, with women needing to take extra precautions when considering treatments if they’re planning for pregnancy.