Showing 20 articles starting at article 1
Categories: Birth Defects, Sexual Health
Published Spike in premature births caused by COVID, halted by vaccines, study finds
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source COVID-19 caused an alarming surge in premature births, but vaccines were key to returning the early birth rate to pre-pandemic levels, according to a new analysis of California birth records.
Published Researchers develop new method for prenatal genetic testing
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have developed a non-invasive genetic test that can screen the blood of pregnant individuals to survey all genes from the fetal genome.
Published Clinical trial results give new hope for children with rare gliomas
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A collaboration of researchers has published successful results from a Phase II clinical trial for the treatment of BRAF mutated low-grade paediatric gliomas.
Published Lab-grown 'small blood vessels' point to potential treatment for major cause of stroke and vascular dementia
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have grown small blood vessel-like models in the lab and used them to show how damage to the scaffolding that supports these vessels can cause them to leak, leading to conditions such as vascular dementia and stroke.
Published High levels of maternal stress during pregnancy linked to children's behavior problems
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Children whose mothers are highly stressed, anxious or depressed during pregnancy may be at higher risk for mental health and behavior issues during their childhood and teen years, according to new research.
Published Exposure to air pollution in utero may affect reproductive system development
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source From invisible wafts of diesel exhaust to sun-choking plumes of orange smoke, air pollution is known to damage respiratory well-being. Now, research suggests another reason to hold our breath: Polluted air also may hurt reproductive health. In a study of air pollution data in relation to markers of reproductive development in infancy, Rutgers researchers found certain pollutants may negatively alter anogenital distance, a measure of prenatal exposure to hormones.
Published A thyroxine derivative enhances brain drug delivery
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study shows that the delivery of drugs into the brain, and especially into glial cells, can be enhanced with prodrugs that temporarily incorporate thyroxine or a thyroxine-like molecule.
Published Maternal microbiota can affect fetal development
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Significant differences in the gene activity of the fetal intestine, brain and placenta were identified, depending on the microbes in the mother's body and the compounds produced by them. The findings indicate that maternal microbes are important to her offspring's development and health.
Published Lab unlocks keys to alcohol withdrawal headache
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have discovered mechanisms by which specific cells are activated in alcohol withdrawal-induced headache. The research may benefit further studies of various substance use disorder mechanisms including withdrawal. It may be possible to develop a small-molecule drug therapy to inhibit interactions, resulting in fewer pain signals during alcohol withdrawal.
Published Zika infection in pregnant macaques slows fetal growth
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Zika virus infection in pregnant rhesus macaques slows fetal growth and affects how infants and mothers interact in the first month of life, according to a new study. The work has implications for both humans exposed to Zika virus and for other viruses that can cross the placenta, including SARS-CoV2, responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic.
Published New clues to early development of schizophrenia
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Schizophrenia is a severe neuropsychiatric disease that remains poorly understood and treated. Schizophrenia onset is typically in adolescence or early adulthood, but its underlying causes are thought to involve neurodevelopmental abnormalities. Because human prenatal and postnatal brain tissue is exceedingly difficult to procure and therefore study, researchers have had limited opportunities to identify early disease mechanisms, especially during the critical prenatal period. Now, a pair of studies use new technology to study schizophrenia in models of early human brain development.
Published Morning-after pill more effective when taken with an anti-inflammatory painkiller, researchers find
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A research team recently published findings on adding an anti-inflammatory painkiller used for arthritis pain to an oral emergency contraceptive pill (also known as the morning-after pill) to increase the effectiveness of pregnancy prevention.
Published How brain inflammation in children may cause neurological disorders
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Severe inflammation in early childhood is a clinically known risk factor for developing autism and schizophrenia. Now, scientists have discovered that inflammation alters the development of vulnerable brain cells, and this could have mechanistic links to neurodevelopmental disorders.
Published Researchers construct first 'multiome' atlas of cell development in the human cerebral cortex from before birth to adulthood
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A team of researchers has created the first 'multiome' atlas of brain cell development in the human cerebral cortex across six broad developmental time points from fetal development into adulthood, shedding new light on their roles during brain development and disease.
Published Discovery reveals fragile X syndrome begins developing even before birth
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Fragile X syndrome, the most common form of inherited intellectual disability, may be unfolding in brain cells even before birth, despite typically going undiagnosed until age 3 or later. A new study showed that FMRP, a protein deficient in individuals with fragile X syndrome, has a role in the function of mitochondria, part of a cell that produces energy, during prenatal development.
Published Study shows prior exposure to common virus shields against birth defects and miscarriage
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers found that pre-existing immunity to Cytomegalovirus (CMV) can limit its transmission during pregnancy and protect against associated birth defects. The study marks an important step toward the development of a vaccine to protect mothers and their babies against the virus, which is a leading cause of miscarriage and birth defects.
Published Brain is 'rewired' during pregnancy to prepare for motherhood
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have shown that pregnancy hormones ‘rewire’ the brain to prepare mice for motherhood. The findings show that both estrogen and progesterone act on a small population of neurons in the brain to switch on parental behavior even before offspring arrive. These adaptations resulted in stronger and more selective responses to pups.
Published Researchers find a cause of Parkinson's disease
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A significant breakthrough sheds light on the underlying mechanisms of Parkinson's disease, offering the potential for innovative treatments in the future.
Published Risk of premature birth from smoking while pregnant more than double previous estimates
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have found that women who smoke during pregnancy are 2.6 times more likely to give birth prematurely compared to non-smokers -- more than double the previous estimate. The study also found that smoking meant that the baby was four times more likely to be small for its gestational age, putting it at risk of potentially serious complications including breathing difficulties and infections.
Published Fish reveal cause of altered human facial development
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Some substances in medicines, household items and the environment are known to affect prenatal child development. Researchers tested the effects of five drugs (including caffeine and the blood thinner warfarin) on the growth of zebrafish embryos. They found that all five had the same effect, impairing the migration of bone-forming cells which resulted in the onset of facial malformation. Zebrafish embryos grow quickly, are transparent and develop outside of the parent's body, making them ideal for studying early development. A zebrafish-based system could be used to easily screen for potentially harmful substances, reducing animal testing on mammals and supporting parents-to-be when making choices for themselves and their baby.