COVID Shot Earlier in Pregnancy Better for Baby: Study

• Robert Preidt
• April 6, 2021
• Full Page

The sooner a pregnant woman gets a COVID-19 vaccine, the more likely she is to transfer protective antibodies to her baby, a new, small study suggests.

"This just gives extra fuel for people who are on the fence or just think, 'Maybe I'll wait until after I deliver,'" sa...

Stillbirths, Other Pregnancy Complications Up During Pandemic

• Robert Preidt
• April 1, 2021
• Full Page

THURSDAY, April 1, 2021 (HealthDayNews) -- The ripple effect of the COVID-19 scourge has led to more complications among pregnant women worldwide, including an increase in stillbirths, a new study says.

The research review also found higher rates of maternal deaths and d...

Even a Little Coffee in Pregnancy Could Impact Newborn's Weight: Study

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• March 25, 2021
• Full Page

As little as half a cup of coffee each day might be enough to stunt the growth and birth weight of a baby in the womb, a new study claims.

Women who consumed an average 50 milligrams of caffeine per day -- equivalent to half a cup of coffee -- had infants that were 2.3 o...

Pregnant Women Pass on COVID Vaccine Protection to Newborns

• March 25, 2021
• Full Page

In some good news to emerge from the coronavirus pandemic, new research shows that pregnant women and new breastfeeding moms have a strong immune response to COVID-19 vaccines and can transfer that immunity to their infants.

The study included 131 women of reproductive a...

Drug Used to Prevent Miscarriages May Be Upping Cancer Rates Decades Later

• Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
• March 24, 2021
• Full Page

Kids born to moms who took a drug widely used to prevent miscarriages in the 1950s and 1960s may be twice as likely to develop cancer in adulthood.

The drug in question, hydroxyprogesterone caproate, also known as OHPC or 17-OHPC, is a man-made version of the hormone pro...

Why 'Night Owl' Women Might Be at Higher Risk During Pregnancy

• Robert Preidt
• March 24, 2021
• Full Page

Women who develop diabetes during pregnancy have a higher risk of complications for themselves and their babies if they're night owls instead of early birds, a new study finds.

Gestational diabetes increases the mother's risk of premature delivery and preeclampsia (pregn...

Pandemic Has Pregnant Women 'Really Stressed,' Survey Shows

• Robert Preidt
• March 19, 2021
• Full Page

The pandemic is turning what should be a joyful time for pregnant women into a stress-filled experience.

Why? Fears that their infants might catch COVID-19 is one of the main reasons anxiety levels are soaring, a new survey finds.

Researchers from Washington State ...

Common Household Chemicals Tied to Preemie Births

• Robert Preidt
• March 15, 2021
• Full Page

Even when women do their best to have a safe pregnancy, chemicals commonly found in the home could still raise their risk for premature delivery, a new study shows.

The chemicals -- called polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) -- are used as flame retardants in items li...

'Birthing Girdle' Shows Traces of Medieval Women in Labor

• Cara Murez
• March 12, 2021
• Full Page

In medieval Europe, when childbirth was highly perilous for both mother and child, women and those caring for them used various talismans to try to influence a safe delivery.

Not many of those relics have survived, but scientists have been studying one -- a parchment "bi...

THC From Pot Lingers in Breast Milk for Weeks: Study

• Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
• March 11, 2021
• Full Page

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, remains in breast milk for up to six weeks and may be harmful to infants, a new study warns.

The researchers said the finding supports recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics and others...

High Blood Pressure in Pregnancy Is Linked to Shorter Life Spans for Women

• Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
• March 10, 2021
• Full Page

High blood pressure during pregnancy may lead to early death from heart disease, a new study suggests.

There are several types of high blood pressure (also known as hypertension) during pregnancy. Chronic hypertension means high blood pressure was already present before ...

Eviction During a Pregnancy Is Dangerous for Women and Newborns

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• March 9, 2021
• Full Page

Being pregnant triggers a lot of feelings. For many, there is joy, expectation and sometimes a little nervousness about what's to come.

Yet not all pregnant women start this journey on the same footing, and for some, such as those who are facing eviction while pregnant, ...

Reassuring News for Women Taking Epilepsy Meds While Pregnant

• Robert Preidt
• March 5, 2021
• Full Page

Toddlers whose mothers took certain epilepsy drugs during pregnancy are unlikely to have development delays, researchers say. The study may help clear up lingering doubts about use of the drugs by moms-to-be.

Controlling seizures is crucial, of course.

"Having a se...

Women With Type 1 Diabetes May Have Fewer Childbearing Years: Study

• Robert Preidt
• March 4, 2021
• Full Page

Women with type 1 diabetes may have a shorter length of time to conceive and bear children compared to those without the disease, new research suggests.

The hormone insulin plays an important part in regulating female reproductive function, and people with type 1 diabete...

High Blood Pressure in Pregnancy Could Affect Women's Hearts Long Term

• Robert Preidt
• February 25, 2021
• Full Page

Pregnancy-related high blood pressure can lead to long-term heart risks, new research shows.

Compared to those with normal blood pressure during pregnancy, women who developed blood pressure disorders such as preeclampsia and gestational hypertension had significant diff...

COVID in Pregnancy Tied to Higher Odds for 'Preemie' Delivery

• Robert Preidt
• February 24, 2021
• Full Page

In this pandemic era, moms-to-be understandably worry about the risks COVID-19 might pose to their baby. A new study offers some answers.

Pregnant women with COVID-19 may be more likely to have a preterm birth. But they don't have an increased risk of stillbirth or baby ...

Pregnant Women Face Higher Odds of Coronavirus Infection

• Robert Preidt
• February 22, 2021
• Full Page

Pregnant women have high COVID-19 infection rates -- especially women of color -- and they should be near the front of the line for vaccines across the United States, researchers say.

"Our data indicates that pregnant people did not avoid the pandemic as we hoped that th...

Fertility Treatments Might Affect Kids' Growth, But Not for Long

• Robert Preidt
• February 18, 2021
• Full Page

The growth patterns of kids born through fertility treatment differ initially from those conceived naturally, but those growth rates do catch up over time, a new study finds.

In-vitro fertilization and other forms of "assisted reproductive technology" (ART) has long been...

Mom's Heart Health While Pregnant Could Influence Her Child's Health for Years

• Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
• February 17, 2021
• Full Page

In a finding that suggests heart health starts in the womb, a new study shows that the state of a woman's heart during pregnancy may predict her kids' health by the time they reach adolescence.

Researchers found that when mothers' weight, blood pressure and cholesterol l...

Is Any Amount of Coffee Safe for Baby During Pregnancy?

• Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
• February 12, 2021
• Full Page

Too much coffee during pregnancy could lead to kids with behavior problems later on.

That's the key takeaway from new research that examined 9,000 brain scans from 9- and 10-year-olds as part of the largest long-term study of brain development and child health.

"Th...

AHA News: Hoping to Find Out Her Baby's Sex, She Learned of a Serious Heart Defect

• American Heart Association News
• February 12, 2021
• Full Page

Latisha Wilborne was excited. She and her husband had tried for a year to get pregnant, and now, 20 weeks pregnant, she was at a doctor's visit with her two sisters where an ultrasound would determine if she was having a girl or boy. A party to celebrate the news was just days...

Many Babies Acquire Oral HPV, Probably From Mom

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• February 11, 2021
• Full Page

Cancer-causing human papillomavirus (HPV) is considered a sexually transmitted infection, but a new study shows that many babies are born carrying the virus in their mouths.

"In brief, HPV infection can be acquired at early age or even at birth," said lead researche...

Antibiotics in Pregnancy Tied to Higher Odds for Asthma in Kids

• Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
• February 11, 2021
• Full Page

Children whose mothers used antibiotics in pregnancy may have a slightly heightened risk of asthma, a new study suggests.

Experts were quick to point out the finding does not prove cause and effect, and the reasons for the antibiotic use -- rather than the drug -- might ...

Prescription Opioids, Antibiotics in Pregnancy Won't Raise Birth Defect Risk: Studies

• Robert Preidt
• February 11, 2021
• Full Page

Taking prescription opioid painkillers or a common class of antibiotics during pregnancy doesn't increase the risk of major birth defects, according to two new studies.

Both are often prescribed to pregnant women. Some studies have linked them with certain birth defects,...

Diabetes While Pregnant Ups Odds for Heart Disease Later

• Robert Preidt
• February 8, 2021
• Full Page

Developing diabetes during pregnancy may increase a woman's risk for heart disease later in life, according to a new study.

It included about 1,100 women without type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Those who developed diabetes during pregnancy (gestational diabetes) were twice as...

MS Doesn't Put Women at Higher Risk During Pregnancy

• Robert Preidt
• February 3, 2021
• Full Page

In a finding that should reassure women with multiple sclerosis (MS) who want to have a baby, new research suggests the disease doesn't raise the risk of pregnancy complications.

"Women with multiple sclerosis may be understandably concerned about the risks of pregnancy...

For Women Who've Miscarried, Aspirin Before, During Pregnancy Could Improve Outcomes

• Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
• January 26, 2021
• Full Page

Could something as simple as taking a low-dose aspirin once a day guard against pregnancy loss among women who have already suffered miscarriages?

New research suggests that's the case, though exactly how low-dose aspirin helps stave off miscarriages is not fully underst...

COVID-19 Ups Complication Risks During Childbirth

• Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
• January 20, 2021
• Full Page

Women who have COVID-19 during childbirth are more likely to face complications than moms-to-be without the coronavirus, researchers say.

Fortunately, the absolute risk for complications for any one woman is very low (less than 1%). But the relative risks for problems --...

Pot Might Impair a Woman's Fertility: Study

• Cara Murez
• January 13, 2021
• Full Page

Though using marijuana for medical or recreational reasons is legal in a growing number of U.S. states, it may come with some unexpected side effects.

A new study found that women who use cannabis may be reducing their fertility.

"Cannabis use has continued to clim...

As Lockdowns Keep Pregnant Women From Exercise, Depression Rates Rise: Study

• Cara Murez
• January 4, 2021
• Full Page

The COVID-19 pandemic is taking a toll on the emotional health of pregnant women whose exercise routines have been disrupted because of the coronavirus, new research shows.

Those women had higher depression scores than their counterparts who were able to exercise as usua...

Even Rich Americans Don't Get World-Class Health Care: Study

• Dennis Thompson
• December 31, 2020
• Full Page

THURSDAY, Dec. 31, 2020 -- Even the most privileged people in the United States with the best access to health care are sicker and more likely to die than average folks in other developed nations, a new study finds.

People living in the highest-income counties in the Uni...

Toxic Metals Might Affect Pregnancy, Study Finds

• Robert Preidt
• December 28, 2020
• Full Page

Exposure to metals may disrupt pregnant women's hormones and boost the odds of complications such as preeclampsia, preterm birth and low birth weight, according to a new study.

Metals such as nickel, arsenic, cobalt and lead have been associated with pregnancy complicati...

Dads' Health Linked to Odds of Pregnancy Loss in Moms-to-Be

• Amy Norton
• December 23, 2020
• Full Page

A large new study suggests that men who plan to be fathers should try to get themselves in shape first.

Researchers found that when fathers-to-be had health conditions like high blood pressure or obesity, the odds that their partner might experience miscarriage or stillb...

COVID Doesn't Pass From Mom to Fetus During Pregnancy: Study

• Cara Murez
• December 22, 2020
• Full Page

A new study may prove reassuring for expectant moms: Pregnant women who are infected with COVID-19 during their third trimester appear unlikely to pass the infection to their fetuses.

This study was conducted between April and June 2020 among women who came to one of thr...

Most Pregnant Women With COVID Are Asymptomatic

• Robert Preidt
• December 17, 2020
• Full Page

Most pregnant women infected with the new coronavirus don't have symptoms, a new study shows.

Researchers analyzed data from a coronavirus screening program in the labor and delivery unit of Elmhurst Hospital in New York City during March and April.

Of the 130 preg...

Black Women at Higher Heart Risk During Pregnancy

• Amy Norton
• December 16, 2020
• Full Page

Although heart problems are rare complications of pregnancy, Black women face a heightened risk -- even if they have comfortable incomes and health insurance, a new study finds.

It's well established that the United States has a higher maternal mortality rate than other ...

Many Breast Cancer Survivors Have Healthy Babies: Study

• Cara Murez
• December 9, 2020
• Full Page

When a young woman is diagnosed with breast cancer, many questions go through her mind.

What treatments does she need? Will she survive? And will she still be able to have a baby?

In a review of recent research, an international team of investigators say the answe...

COVID Fuels Depression Among Pregnant Women, New Moms

• Cara Murez
• December 9, 2020
• Full Page

COVID-19 may be behind a concerning rise in the number of women suffering anxiety and depression before and soon after childbirth, a new study says.

Researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston surveyed more than 1,100 pregnant and postpartum women between Ma...

U.S. Moms-to-Be Are Much Less Healthy Now

• Steven Reinberg
• December 7, 2020
• Full Page

In the past 30 years, U.S. women have been in progressively worse physical shape as they become pregnant, a new study finds.

A combination of obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes and having children later in life have led to potentially more complications, and even inf...

Frozen Eggs Help Breast Cancer Survivors Conceive

• November 27, 2020
• Full Page

Freezing their eggs or ovarian tissue before breast cancer treatment increases survivors' chances of having children after recovery, a new study finds.

Nearly 10% of breast cancer cases occur in women younger than 45 years of age, some of whom haven't yet had children, a...

More Childbearing Women Having Suicidal Thoughts: Study

• Amy Norton
• November 20, 2020
• Full Page

The number of women who contemplate suicide or self-harm during or after pregnancy may be on the rise, a large, new study suggests.

Among nearly 600,000 U.S. childbearing women, researchers found that close to 2,700 were diagnosed with suicidality in the year before or a...

COVID in Pregnancy Won't Affect Obstetric Outcomes: Study

• Steven Reinberg
• November 19, 2020
• Full Page

Pregnant women with COVID-19 have little risk of developing severe symptoms, as do their newborns, a new study finds.

In fact, 95% of these women have good outcomes, and just 3% of their babies test positive for COVID-19, researchers say.

"For 5% of COVID-19-positi...

U.S. Leads Wealthy Nations in Pregnancy-Related Deaths

• Amy Norton
• November 18, 2020
• Full Page

American women are far more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than women in other wealthy countries -- and a national shortage of maternity care providers bodes ill for the future.

Those are some of the findings from a new report on maternal mortality by the no...

Are We Getting Closer to a Herpes Vaccine?

• Amy Norton
• November 16, 2020
• Full Page

Scientists are reporting early success with an experimental herpes vaccine that uses a genetically modified version of the virus.

The gene edit prevents the virus from performing its normal evasive maneuver: hiding out in nervous system cells in order to elude the i...

Pre-Pregnancy High Blood Pressure Rates Rising

• Serena Gordon
• November 11, 2020
• Full Page

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 11, 2020 (HealthDay) -- The number of women entering pregnancy with high blood pressure has nearly doubled in a decade, new research finds.

The study found that 2% of women living in urban areas and 2.4% of women living in rural areas had high blood press...

Global Warming Could Bring Added Risks for Pregnant Women

• Robert Preidt
• November 5, 2020
• Full Page

Global warming could increase rates of serious pregnancy problems, researchers warn.

They analyzed 70 studies from 27 countries that reported associations between high temperatures and preterm birth, birth weight and stillbirths.

"Given increases in the freque...

For Some Women, Postpartum Depression Lingers for Years

• Amy Norton
• October 29, 2020
• Full Page

Many women have depression symptoms after giving birth, but for some postpartum depression hangs on for years, a U.S. government study finds.

Of nearly 4,900 new mothers researchers followed, one-quarter had depression symptoms at some point in their child's first three...

Heart Conditions Could Raise Risk of Torn Aorta During Pregnancy

• Robert Preidt
• October 22, 2020
• Full Page

Pregnancy can increase the risk of a rare, dangerous heart condition called aortic dissection, researchers report.

This is especially true for women with underlying heart conditions that can go undetected.

Aortic dissections -- which affect 3 in 100,000 peo...

COVID-19 More Common in Pregnant Hispanics Than Other Moms-to-Be: Study

• Steven Reinberg
• October 22, 2020
• Full Page

Hispanic mothers-to-be in the southern United States are almost twice as likely to have COVID-19 as non-Hispanic women, a new study finds.

The researchers also found that those with government health insurance were more likely to test positive for the coronavirus th...

Could Mom's Thyroid Levels Influence ADHD in Kids?

• Serena Gordon
• October 21, 2020
• Full Page

Low levels of thyroid hormone during pregnancy may contribute to the development of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in the child, new research suggests.

The study found that children born to mothers with low thyroid hormone levels during the first trimester...