Pregnant women | Page 15 of 16

Childhood lead exposure is a risk factor for criminal behavior

Prenatal and postnatal blood lead concentrations are associated with higher rates of total arrests and/or arrests for offenses involving violence. This is the first prospective study to demonstrate an association between developmental exposure to lead and adult criminal behavior. – Lead exposure during childhood is associated with adult criminal behaviour, including violent crime, revealed by researchers in this week’s PLoS Medicine. Childhood lead exposure is a purported risk factor for antisocial behavior, but prior studies either relied on indirect measures of exposure or did not follow participants into adulthood to examine the relationship between lead exposure and criminal activity in young adults.

New drug labels better for pregnant & nursing mothers

FDA proposes new rule to provide updated information on the use of prescription drugs and biological products during pregnancy and breast-feeding. – New drug labeling system would provide better information about any prescription drug to pregnant women and nursing mothers as FDA proposes new rule to provide updated information on the use of prescription drugs and biological products during pregnancy and breast-feeding.

High blood pressure patients advised to use home monitors

High blood pressure is notoriously difficult to treat to goal ? many patients fail to reach target levels despite treatment, and studies show home monitoring can help. – People with hypertension should routinely monitor their blood pressure at home to help manage the disease, according to a new joint scientific statement from the American Heart Association, American Society of Hypertension and the Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses’ Association.

Genotyping DNA may reduce unnecessary treatment for blood disorder in pregnancy

New test could cut unnecessary treatment for blood disorder in pregnancy – Effect of high throughput RhD typing of fetal DNA in maternal plasma on use of anti-RhD immunoglobulin in RhD negative pregnant women: A prospective feasibility study – A new test for identifying a mismatch between the blood of a pregnant woman and her baby is accurate, feasible, and could substantially reduce unnecessary treatment, finds a study published on bmj.com.

Pregnant women should use seatbelt

Pregnant women should buckle up every single time they?re in a vehicle. Proper seatbelt use by pregnant women would save 200 fetuses a year. – Proper seatbelt use by pregnant women would save 200 fetuses a year, University of Michigan study finds. This new study could have a profound effect on fetal deaths and injuries caused by car crashes.

Avoid alcohol in pregnancy

Royal College of Midwives and NICE UK advise is to avoid alcohol whilst pregnant, and to stop drinking alcohol if they are trying to start a family. – Responding to the release of UK’s NICE antenatal guidelines for pregnant women, Mervi Jokinen of the Royal College of Midwives, UK, said: “We welcome the guidelines which are evidence based, but feel that more clarity is needed about pregnancy and alcohol.

Pregnant women need more help to quit smoking

Pregnant women need more help to quit smoking. Midwives and doctors should do more to encourage pregnant women to give up smoking. – Midwives and doctors should do more to encourage pregnant women to give up smoking, research suggests. A survey by the Auckland Tobacco Control Research Centre (ATCRC) at The University of Auckland showed that only 11% of midwives and 71% of GPs suggest women abstain completely from smoking during pregnancy.

Women’s labour experiences differ from expectations

Women may have ideal hopes of what they would like to happen with respect to pain relief, control and engagement in decision making, but expectations are often very different from experience. Antenatal educators need to ensure that pregnant women are appropriately prepared for what might actually happen to limit this expectation-experience gap and potentially support greater satisfaction with labour. – A pain-free and drug-free labour may be many expectant mothers’ dream but a review in the open access journal BMC Medicine reveals that reality hits hard. Most women’s labour experiences differ markedly from their expectations. They are often ill-prepared for what might happen and consequently may be disappointed when the birth does not “go to plan”.

Tobacco use, secondhand smoke exposure during pregnancy, may threaten health

Findings from a National Institutes of Health (NIH) study indicate that rates of tobacco use during pregnancy, as well as exposure of pregnant women and their young children to secondhand smoke, are significant threats to health in several low and middle-income countries. – Rates of tobacco use during pregnancy, as well as exposure of pregnant women and their young children to secondhand smoke, are significant threats to health in several low and middle-income countries, reveals a study from National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Many maternal deaths worldwide are preventable

A study published in PLoS Medicine this week suggests that of women who die during pregnancy and childbirth in sub-Saharan Africa, more may die from treatable infectious diseases than from conditions directly linked to pregnancy. – Women who die during pregnancy and childbirth in sub-Saharan Africa, more may die from treatable infectious diseases than from conditions directly linked to pregnancy, revealed by researchers.