Disease control, safe medications critical to pregnancies for women with rheumatic disease

Pregnant women with active rheumatic disease carry a higher risk of adverse outcomes than the general population including hypertension, preeclampsia, higher cesarean section rate, small for gestational aged infants, preterm delivery, and fetal loss. To decrease the risk of these complications, rheumatic disease should be under control before conception with medications that are safe to use during pregnancy.

Past Kidney Disease May Increase Preeclampsia Risk, Impair Blood Vessel Health during Pregnancy

A history of kidney problems may put people at a higher risk for impaired blood vessel function, which could lead to high blood pressure, preterm labor and other adverse outcomes, according to the results of a study in rats. The researchers will present their work this week at the American Physiological Society (APS) and American Society for Nephrology Control of Renal Function in Health and Disease conference in Charlottesville, Virginia.

COVID-19 Vaccination in Pregnancy Helps Protect Infants from Needing Hospital Care for COVID-19

In a new study sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and published in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers provide additional evidence that COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy helps protect babies younger than 6 months from being hospitalized due to COVID-19. The risk of COVID-19 hospitalization among babies was reduced by about 80 percent during the Delta wave (July 1–December 18, 2021) and 40 percent during the Omicron wave (December 19–March 8, 2022).

A mother’s blood may carry the secret to one type of autism

The reactivity of a mother’s autoantibodies to specific fetal brain protein patterns may predict the child’s diagnosis with a type of autism known as MAR ASD. MAR ASD was present in around 20% of kids with autism in Arkansas and Philadelphia samples and was linked to more significant autistic traits.

SSRI use during pregnancy not related to childhood depression

In one of the first studies to look at the association between selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) medications and brain development in young children, research from the Behavioral Research and Imaging Neurogenetics (BRAIN)Lab at Washington University in St. Louis found no association between children’s exposure to the drugs in the womb and later childhood depression.

Study Underscores Importance of Multidisciplinary Medical Team for Pregnant Women with Lupus

A study that includes researchers at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) underscores the importance of a multidisciplinary medical team to counsel and provide care for women with systemic lupus erythematosus, the most common form of lupus, who become pregnant. Using a nationwide database, the investigators reviewed the records of more than 50,000 patients with lupus who gave birth over a 10-year period. Findings revealed a higher rate of fetal morbidity and severe maternal morbidity compared to women who did not have lupus.

University of Kentucky Study: Asymptomatic COVID-19 Could Still Cause Pregnancy Risks

According to a new University of Kentucky College of Medicine study, asymptomatic COVID-19 infection during pregnancy could still have potential long-term consequences for a developing baby.

The study led by Ilhem Messoudi, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, was published in Cell Reports May 25.

The research shows that COVID-19 infection in pregnant mothers who were asymptomatic or had mild symptoms still triggered immune responses causing inflammation in the placenta.

The Application of Noninvasive Prenatal Screening Using Cell-free DNA in General Risk Pregnancies – The American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics Publishes its Highly Anticipated Evidence-based Review

The American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) has released its second, highly anticipated systematic evidence-based review (SER): “The Application of Noninvasive Prenatal Screening Using Cell-free DNA in General Risk Pregnancies.”

Antidepressant Use During Pregnancy Not Linked to Epilepsy in Children

A new study suggests that antidepressant use by mothers during the first trimester of pregnancy does not increase the chances of epilepsy and seizures in babies. The research is published in the May 11, 2022, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

Experts Provide Hope and Treatment Options during Infertility Awareness Week

Infertility is a common problem affecting millions of Americans. The National Center of Health Statistics estimates 1 in 8 couples of reproductive age has problems conceiving. Infertility refers to the inability to produce a pregnancy after 12 months of unprotected…

Stress during Pregnancy May Lead to Heart Disease, Accelerated Aging in Next Generation

Prenatal stress can cause damage in the aorta in offspring, which may contribute to the development of atherosclerosis and accelerate aging, according to a new study in mice. The article is published ahead of print in the American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology.

Pregnancy stretch marks cause stress and emotional burden, study finds

Stretch marks cause pregnant women and individuals substantial embarrassment that can negatively impact pregnancy and quality of life, a new study found. The lesions, and concerns for developing and permanency, may be contributing factors for depression or anxiety in the perinatal period, which affect up to one in seven women during pregnancy and postpartum. Researchers say this should bring new focus on stretch marks and identifying mental health disorders during pregnancy and the postpartum period.

Research Reveals Racial and Ethnic Disparities Persist in Pregnancy Outcomes of Patients with Lupus

While investigators have known that maternal and fetal outcomes of pregnancy among women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have improved over time, it is unknown whether the improved outcomes are shared equally among different racial and ethnic groups. Lupus has been shown to disproportionately affect minorities of childbearing age. A new study that includes researchers from Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) presented today at the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) annual meeting shows that pregnancy outcomes in women with lupus have improved in all racial and ethnic groups over the past decade, but disparities still exist.

E-cigarette Exposure during Pregnancy Changes Autophagy Signaling, Leads to Brain Defects in Rats

Article title: Fetal e-cigarette exposure programs a neonatal brain hypoxic-ischemic sensitive phenotype via altering DNA methylation patterns and autophagy signaling pathway Authors: Andrew Walayat, Yong Li, Yanyan Zhang, Yingjie Fu, Bailin Liu, Xuesi M. Shao, Lubo Zhang, Daliao Xiao From…

Metabolic Syndrome during Pregnancy Leads to Abnormal Development of Fat Tissue in Mouse Offspring

Article title: Accelerated developmental adipogenesis programs adipose tissue dysfunction and cardiometabolic risk in offspring born to dams with metabolic dysfunction Authors: Anna Mikolajczak, Nada A. Sallam, Radha D. Singh, Taylor B. Scheidl, Emma J. Walsh, Sebastian Larion, Carol Huang, Jennifer…

Renowned Physician-Scientist with Expertise in High-Risk Pregnancies Named System Chair of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Science at Mount Sinai Health System

Joanne L. Stone, MD, a leading physician-scientist in women’s health with special expertise in fetal imaging and caring for high-risk pregnancies, has been named the Chair of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Science for the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and the Mount Sinai Health System. Dr. Stone currently serves as Director of the Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Fellowship program for the Mount Sinai Health System, Vice Chair for Diversity and Inclusion of the OB/GYN Department, and Immediate Past President of the Faculty Council.

The 5:2 diet – a good choice for gestational diabetes

Weight loss after gestational diabetes can prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes. Yet finding the most effective way to lose weight and keep it off can be a challenge, especially for mothers with a new baby. Now, new research from the University of South Australia suggests that the popular 5:2 or intermittent fasting diet ¬is just as effective as a conventional energy-restricting diet, enabling women greater choice and flexibility when it comes to weight loss.

U of U Health leads national studies of “long COVID” in adults and during pregnancy

University of Utah Health scientists are on the leading edge of a pair of large studies investigating the long-term effects of COVID-19. The nationwide studies, supported by the National Institutes of Health, will attempt to answer key questions about the lingering effects of the viral disorder on pregnant individuals and their infants, as well as why some people develop post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC), including “long COVID,” and others don’t.

In pregnant women with COVID-19, sex of fetus may influence maternal and placental immune response and neonatal immune protection

In pregnant women who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, male placentas demonstrated significantly higher levels of certain genes and proteins associated with increased immune activation compared with female placentas, according to a new study published in Science Translational Medicine.

Many Mothers May Have Delayed or Abandoned Plans for Additional Children Because of COVID-19 Pandemic

Nearly half of New York City mothers who had been trying to become pregnant again before the coronavirus pandemic began stopped in the first few months of the outbreak, a new study shows.