Pregnant women Archives

Antenatal syphilis screening may reduce adverse pregnancy outcomes

Effectiveness of interventions to improve screening for syphilis in pregnancy: a systematic review and meta-analysis – About 2?1 million pregnant women have active syphilis every year. Without screening and treatment, 69% of these women will have an adverse outcome of pregnancy. The objectives of this study were to review the literature systematically to determine the effectiveness of screening interventions to prevent congenital syphilis and other adverse pregnancy outcomes.

IUD following abortion likely to prevent unintended pregnancy

Immediate use of an IUD following abortion more likely to prevent unintended pregnancies — Study finds women who are asked to make an appointment for a later date may not return, are at higher risk for another unintended pregnancy – Immediate use of any contraceptive method after abortion has been linked to a reduced risk of repeat abortion with the immediate use of an IUD being the most effective method for reducing the risk for another unintended pregnancy. IUDs are found safe and highly effective.

Gene variation linked to infertility in women

Gene variation linked to infertility in women, study finds — Altered gene involved in both faulty cholesterol regulation and pregnancy hormone production – A variation in a gene involved in regulating cholesterol in the bloodstream also appears to affect progesterone production in women, making it a likely culprit in a substantial number of cases of their infertility, a new study from Johns Hopkins researchers suggests.

15 eggs needed to achieve a live birth after IVF

15 eggs is the perfect number needed to achieve a live birth after IVF – An analysis of over 400,000 IVF cycles in the UK has shown that doctors should aim to retrieve around 15 eggs from a woman’s ovaries in a single cycle in order to have the best chance of achieving a live birth after assisted reproduction technology.

Widespread use of medications among pregnant women

Researchers report widespread use of medications among pregnant women – There is widespread and increasing medication use among pregnant women, revealed by researchers from Boston University’s Slone Epidemiology Center, in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Harvard School of Public Health,

Prenatal exposure to insecticide linked to decreases in cognitive functioning at age 7

Prenatal exposure to common insecticide linked to decreases in cognitive functioning at age 7 — Deficits in IQ and working memory suggest longer-term educational implications – Researchers from the Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health at the Mailman School of Public Health report evidence of a link between prenatal exposure to the insecticide chlorpyrifos and deficits in IQ and working memory at age seven.

Omega 3 and fish during pregnancy curbs postpartum depression symptoms

Study: Omega-3 consumed during pregnancy curbs risk for postpartum depression symptoms – Fish has long been considered in myriad cultures to be “brain food,” but only recently has bona fide science begun to support this deep-rooted belief.

Recurrent miscarriage raises heart attack risk

Recurrent miscarriage raises heart attack risk fivefold in later life — Pregnancy loss and risk of cardiovascular disease: A prospective population-based cohort study (EPIC-Heidelberg) – Recurrent miscarriage increases a woman’s chance of having a heart attack fivefold in later life, indicates research published online in the journal Heart.

Pregnancy related morning sickness could be genetic

Study shows extreme form of pregnancy-related morning sickness could be genetic — Pregnant women whose sisters had condition are 17 times more likely to have it – Approximately 60,000 pregnant women are hospitalized each year due to hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), an extreme form of nausea and vomiting that endangers their lives and often forces them to reluctantly terminate their pregnancies.

Maternal deaths worldwide drop by third i.e. 34 percent

UN estimates reveal fewer women dying from pregnancy-related causes, but 1000 still die a day and more needs to be done to achieve set targets – The number of women dying due to complications during pregnancy and childbirth has decreased by 34% from an estimated 546 000 in 1990 to 358 000 in 2008, according to a new report, Trends in maternal mortality, released by the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the World Bank.

Immune responses during pregnancy linked to schizophrenia among offspring

Immune responses during pregnancy linked to schizophrenia among offspring – Infections like the flu are common occurrences during pregnancy, and research has shown that children born to mothers who suffered from flu, viruses and other infections during pregnancy have about a 1.5 to 7 times increased risk for schizophrenia.

Women can get pregnant within six months of miscarriage

Women don’t need to delay getting pregnant after miscarriage — Research: Effect of interpregnancy interval on outcomes of pregnancy after miscarriage: Retrospective analysis of hospital episode statistics in Scotland – Women who conceive within six months of an initial miscarriage have the best chance of having a healthy pregnancy with the lowest complication rates, revealed researchers in BMJ.