News
Research group claims preeclampsia doomed the Neanderthals, but experts say it's just a 'thought experiment"
1+ hour, 50+ min ago (709+ words) Quick, fun science challenges. Preeclampsia, a complication of pregnancy that involves high blood pressure, could have led to a decline in Neanderthals' fertility, a new study suggests. The mysterious disappearance of our Neanderthal cousins may have been related to preeclampsia,…...
In a first, study links maternal genes to risk of pregnancy loss
4+ day, 54+ min ago (629+ words) Quick, fun science challenges. For the first time, scientists have identified genetic variants that increase the risk of aneuploidy, in which cells have an abnormal number of chromosomes. Aneuploidy in egg cells can lead to miscarriage. A new study is…...
Risk of death from pregnancy in the US is 44 times higher than that from abortion, new analysis reveals
6+ day, 9+ min ago (54+ words) Risk of death from pregnancy in the US is 44 times higher than that from abortion, new analysis reveals'Live Science Quick, fun science challenges. A figure commonly used to compare the risk of death from pregnancy compared with the risk of…...
IVF hormones could be delivered with painless 'microneedle' patch someday, early study hints
3+ week, 1+ day ago (796+ words) Scientists are developing a microneedle patch that they hope could someday simplify IVF hormone delivery. They've tested it in animals. Patients undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) must give themselves daily hormone shots in weeks leading up to having eggs collected…...
'Unprecedented': Woman delivers full-term abdominal pregnancy while also having 22-pound cyst removed
2+ mon, 5+ day ago (687+ words) A California woman was scheduled to have a large cyst removed but, in the lead-up to the procedure, learned she had a rare ectopic pregnancy. A woman in California was scheduled to have a large cyst removed and tested positive…...
New blood test can predict risk of postpartum depression with more than 80% accuracy
3+ mon, 3+ week ago (561+ words) Scientists are learning more about this leading complication of childbirth. Treatments are improving and doctors can test for biological markers that flag heightened risk. The first-ever drug for postpartum depression, containing a derivative of progesterone, received US Food and Drug…...
Don't use cannabis during pregnancy or breastfeeding, leading OBGYN group says
4+ mon, 2+ week ago (778+ words) The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that mothers abstain from cannabis use during prepregnancy, pregnancy and lactation, as research shows the drug is linked to serious health outcomes in newborns. People who are pregnant or lactating should not…...
Is acetaminophen safe in pregnancy? Here's what the science says.
4+ mon, 3+ week ago (746+ words) In a recent announcement, President Trump warned that the active ingredient in Tylenol may be linked to autism. Here's what the data really shows. Trump also advised parents not to give Tylenol to babies, prompting the AAP to issue a…...
Dangers of falling birth rates in the US have been 'dramatically overstated,' experts say
4+ mon, 3+ week ago (755+ words) While the changes in population structure that accompany low birth rates are real, the impact of these changes has been dramatically overstated. Pronatalism " the belief that low birth rates are a problem that must be reversed " is having a moment…...
Even brief exposure to air pollution can push the placenta into an inflammatory state, lab study suggests
5+ mon, 1+ day ago (883+ words) A study of human placentas suggests that urban air pollution may push the organ's resident immune cells into an inflammatory state. Even brief exposure to air pollution may alter the structure of the placenta and push the organ into an…...