Born underweight – infertile in adulthood Girls who were small or underweight at birth have twice the risk of infertility in adulthood as girls who were born within a normal weight range.
Childless couples have more divorces Couples who receive treatment for fertility problems are up to three times more likely to end in divorce if they fail to produce a child.
Pregnant women who eat fish get chubby daughters When an expectant mother gets the environmental toxins PCB and DDE into her bloodstream from eating fish, her daughters are likely to become overweight, new Danish/Faroese study reveals.
Swedish women receive womb transplants Nine Swedish women have successfully received womb transplants donated from relatives.
Air pollution leads to smaller babies Pregnant women who are exposed to even the tiniest amounts of air pollution risk giving birth to babies with low birth weight.
Jobs with heavy lifting lead to preterm births Pregnant women significantly increase the risk of preterm birth if they lift heavy things on the job, a study of 62,000 women shows.
C-section infants don’t get enough good microbes Children born by Caesarean section start life with insufficient intestinal bacteria flora. These bacteria are known to play a part in protecting children from developing allergies and children who lack them may be at higher risk of other health problems.
Early C-section less harmful than we thought New study finds no significant difference in adverse neonatal or maternal outcomes for elective Caesarean sections scheduled at 39 weeks compared with 38 weeks of gestation.
Pregnant women with pets have more vaginal E. coli Intestinal bacteria from dogs and cats appear to colonise pregnant women’s vagina, which can increase the risk of e.g. urinary tract infections. This may be caused by the bacteria travelling from the animal via the woman’s hands to her vagina.
Midwife training promotes mother-child attachments Women who have given birth by Caesarean section may find it difficult to relate to their newborns. Special training can give midwives the tools they need to help these mothers.
Influenza may increase the risk of infantile autism New study shows that influenza or prolonged periods of fever during pregnancy may increase the risk of having a child with infantile autism. Read why the researcher behind the study advises pregnant women NOT to worry.
Women with breast infections stop breastfeeding New mothers are more likely to stop breastfeeding in the first month after birth if they get an infection, says new study.
Dying women brought new life to PhD project Observing several episodes of faulty treatment at a Tanzania hospital inspired a Danish doctor to change the focus of his PhD project.
How babies get heart defects Scientists have mapped the network of genes, proteins and environmental factors that together led to a heart defect in one percent of all children born each year. Better diagnoses and treatments will soon be available, says researcher.
Swine flu vaccine does not harm your baby Pregnant women can be vaccinated against swine flu without fear of negative consequences. A new study documents that the vaccine does not harm unborn babies. But another study confirms a suspicion that the vaccine can cause neuritis in elderly people in very rare cases.
New genetic research highlights influences on children’s development Two normally occurring variants in hitherto unknown genes influence the size of children’s heads. International research has set new standards for studies in genes’ importance for children’s development.
Baby cries shorten our reaction time The sound of a baby crying motivates our brain’s alertness and sharpens our ability to react with highly accurate movements. The sound of a woman crying does not have the same effect.
