Pregnancy risk

Induced or augmented childbirth increases autism risk in childhood

Induced or augmented childbirth appears to be associated with increased risk for autism – An analysis of North Carolina birth and educational records suggests that induction (stimulating uterine contractions prior to the onset of spontaneous labor) and augmentation (increasing the strength, duration, or frequency of uterine contractions with spontaneous onset of labor) during childbirth appears to be associated with increased odds of autism diagnosis in childhood.

Nutrition during first 1000 days of every child’s life

Nutrition during first 1,000 days of life crucial for childhood and economic development – Over 3 million children die every year of malnutrition-accounting for nearly half of all child deaths under 5, revealed by researchers in Lancet series on maternal and childhood nutrition.

Offspring of obese mothers may be spared health problems

Offspring of obese mothers may be spared health problems

Obese mums may pass health risks on to grandchildren — Experts found the offspring of obese mothers may be spared health problems – Health problems linked to obesity, like heart disease and diabetes, could skip an entire generation. Researchers have found that the offspring of obese mothers may be spared health problems linked to obesity, while their own children then inherit them.

Early pregnancy reduces breast cancer risk

How does pregnancy reduce breast cancer risk? – Being pregnant while young is known to protect a women against breast cancer. But why? Research in BioMed Central’s open access journal Breast Cancer Research finds that Wnt/Notch signalling ratio is decreased in the breast tissue of mice which have given birth, compared to virgin mice of the same age.

Stress in life may increase stillbirth risk

Stressful life events may increase stillbirth risk, NIH network study finds – Pregnant women who experienced financial, emotional, or other personal stress in the year before their delivery had an increased chance of having a stillbirth, say researchers. Stillbirth is the death of a fetus at 20 or more weeks of pregnancy. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, in 2006, there was one stillbirth for every 167 births External Web Site Policy.

Caffeine during pregnancy linked to low birth weight babies

Coffee and tea during pregnancy affect fetal growth – Drinking just two cups of coffee a day is associated with the risk of low birth weight. Researchers at Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, have conducted a study on 59,000 women in collaboration with the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.

Maternal obesity increases risk of wheezing in babies

Maternal obesity increases the risk of frequent wheezing in offspring — Tobacco and excess weight: 2 factors linked to asthma in babies – The fact that excess weight during pregnancy has negative consequences is not new information. A new study now concludes that the children of mothers obese before falling pregnant are four times more likely to have frequent wheezing, which is one of the symptoms of asthma, compared to the children of mothers weighing a normal weight.

Folic acid in pregnancy lowers autism risk in baby

Folic acid supplements early in pregnancy may reduce child’s risk of autism by 40 percent — Large study in Norway finds early timing of folic acid supplements is critical – Prenatal folic acid supplements appear to reduce the risk for autistic spectrum disorders. It is estimated that about 1 in 88 children in the U.S. have been identified with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Emergency contraception prescriptions for teens

AAP Recommends Emergency Contraception Be Available to Teens – Teen pregnancies have declined over the past few decades, but the United States continues to see substantially higher teen birth rates compared to other developed countries. Use of emergency contraception can reduce the risk of pregnancy if used up to 120 hours.

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