Reducing NHS Stillbirths with Customized Fetal Growth Charts

Researchers from the Perinatal Institute found that non-customised fetal growth charts used across the NHS often misclassify babies, potentially increasing the risk of avoidable stillbirths. A study published in The BMJ suggests that using customised GROW charts, which adjust for maternal weight and ethnicity, provides more accurate data for monitoring pregnancy safety. Why do current … Read more

Modern IVF: Higher Live Birth Rates and Fewer Twin Pregnancies

Modern IVF treatments now achieve a 68.2% cumulative live birth rate over three cycles while maintaining a multiple birth rate of just 2.9%, according to research presented at the 42nd Annual Meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE). This represents a significant improvement over historical methods that often resulted in multiple … Read more

Racial Disparities in Hypertension Onset Among Women

Black women in the United States develop hypertension nearly a decade earlier than their White counterparts, a gap that persists regardless of neighborhood socioeconomic conditions. According to a study published in JAMA Network Open, researchers tracking 15,313 women found that Black women reach a median age of hypertension onset at 56, compared to 66 for … Read more

Neuroticism and Adversity: Key Drivers of Depression and Anxiety Risk

Psychosocial factors like neuroticism and life adversity contribute more to the population burden of depression and anxiety than physiological factors, according to a 13-year study in Translational Psychiatry. Using UK Biobank data, researchers found psychosocial elements account for up to 67% of the depression burden in men and 61% in women. Why do psychosocial factors … Read more

How Weed Killers Affect Pregnancy: Mapping Biological Pathways

Exposure to glyphosate, the active ingredient in many weed killers, is linked to changes in hormones that support pregnancy and fetal development, according to a University of Michigan School of Public Health study. Researchers observed shifts in estriol, thyroid hormones, and corticotropin-releasing hormone among 752 pregnant women in Puerto Rico. How does glyphosate exposure affect … Read more

Postpartum Hypertension and Recurrent HDP Risk: A BU Study

Researchers at the Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) and Boston Medical Center (BMC) are launching a $3.2 million study to determine if monitoring postpartum blood pressure can prevent recurrent hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP). Led by Dr. Samantha Parker Kelleher and Dr. Christina Yarrington, the five-year project aims to identify early interventions for … Read more

How Fertility Challenges Affect Child Development and Behavior

A study published in JAMA Network Open suggests that parental fertility challenges—not IVF itself—are linked to small differences in children’s neurodevelopment. Researchers found that children of parents facing infertility showed higher odds of autism-like traits and ADHD, regardless of whether medical fertility treatments were used during conception. What did the ECHO Cohort study reveal? Researchers … Read more

Mycoplasma Genitalium Linked to Low Risk of Recurrent Preterm Birth

A study published in The American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology reports that Mycoplasma genitalium (MGen) does not increase the risk of recurrent preterm birth. Researchers at UTHealth Houston, who followed nearly 500 pregnant individuals with prior complications, found that while the infection is common among those with history of preterm delivery, it does not … Read more

Maternal Vaccination Protects Infants Against RSV Hospitalization

A New Frontier in Infant Health: Maternal RSV Vaccination Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) has long been a leading cause of hospitalization for infants in the United States. For years, parents and clinicians lacked a reliable way to protect newborns from the virus starting at birth. However, recent clinical data suggests a significant shift in how … Read more

UPatch: Transforming Pregnancy Monitoring with Wearable Ultrasound

Breakthrough in Fetal Monitoring: The UPatch Revolutionizes Prenatal Care Scientists have unveiled a groundbreaking wearable ultrasound device, UPatch, capable of continuously tracking a baby’s health in the womb. This innovation, developed by a team led by Professor Sheng Xu at Stanford University, promises to detect complications that traditional methods often miss. How UPatch Works: A … Read more