The period from conception to birth. After the egg is fertilized by a sperm and then implanted in the lining of the uterus, it develops into the placenta and embryo, and later into a fetus. Pregnancy usually lasts 40 weeks, beginning from the first day of the woman’s last menstrual period, and is divided into three trimesters, each lasting three months.
Snoring pregnant women at higher risk for gestational diabetes – If you are pregnant and your mate complains your frequent snoring is rattling the bedroom windows, you may have bigger problems than an annoyed, sleep-deprived partner.
Multivitamins in pregnancy reduce risk of low birth weights – Prenatal multivitamin supplements are associated with a significantly reduced risk of babies with a low birth weight (underweight babies) compared with prenatal iron-folic acid supplementation, found a new study in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ).
New system monitors fetal heartbeat — Noninvasive technique could prevent complications. – Tiny fluctuations in a fetus’s heartbeat can indicate distress, but currently there is no way to detect such subtle variations except during labor, when it could be too late to prevent serious or even fatal complications.
Worldwide report shows increase in assisted reproduction: 250,000 babies (approximately) born in 1 year – Assisted reproductive technology (ART) is responsible for an estimated 219,000 to 246,000 babies born each year worldwide according to an international study.
Report updates guidelines on how much weight women should gain during pregnancy – Calls on health care providers to help women achieve a healthy weight before and during pregnancy. – A growing amount of scientific evidence indicates that how much weight women gain during pregnancy and their starting weight at conception can affect their health and that of their babies, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council.
Low levels of vitamin D linked to common vaginal infection in pregnant women – Findings may explain higher rates of infection among African-Americans. – Pregnant women with low levels of vitamin D may be more likely to suffer from bacterial vaginosis (BV) ? a common vaginal infection that increases a woman’s risk for preterm delivery, according to a University of Pittsburgh study.
Identification of genetic variants affecting age at menopause could help improve fertility treatment – For the first time, scientists have been able to identify genetic factors that influence the age at which natural menopause occurs in women. Ms Lisette Stolk, a researcher from Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, told the annual conference of the European Society of Human Genetics that a greater understanding of the factors influencing age at menopause might eventually help to improve the clinical treatment of infertile women.
2 studies: The first finds twins born after fertility treatment have a higher risk of problems. A second study study finds reassuring evidence on the outcome of children born after embryo freezing. – Twins born as a result of assisted reproductive technology (ART) are more likely to be admitted to neonatal intensive care and to be hospitalised in their first three years of life than spontaneously conceived twins, according to new research in Europe’s leading reproductive medicine journal Human Reproduction.
Researchers identify key proteins needed for ovulation – study reveals essential step in female reproductive process. – Researchers from the National Institutes of Health and other institutions have identified in mice two proteins essential for ovulation to take place.
Developing a genetic test for pregnancy risks – analysis of mum’s and dad’s DNA can predict and enhance pregnancy success. – University of Adelaide researchers are developing a world-first genetic test that can predict which pregnancies are at risk of complications long before symptoms arise.
Taking folic acid for a year before pregnancy may reduce risk of preterm birth. Findings reinforce March of Dimes message: Start taking a vitamin with folic acid before pregnancy. – Women who take folic acid supplements for at least one year before they become pregnant may cut their risk of having a premature baby by half, according to research published this week in the online journal, PLoS Medicine.
Late motherhood boosts family lifespan. Same genes linked to longevity and births after age 45. – Women who have babies naturally in their 40s or 50s tend to live longer than other women. Now, a new study shows their brothers also live longer, but the brothers’ wives do not, suggesting the same genes prolong lifespan and female fertility, and may be more important than social and environmental factors.
