Pregnancy and Birth

November is Prematurity Awareness Month. Here are a few quick facts.

On Friday, Oct. 30, Elizabeth A. Howell, MD, MPP, led a presentation on the intertwined racial and ethnic disparities in maternal and infant health that exist for women and babies of color.

Principal investigator Johanna Quist-Nelson, MD, was inspired to complete the study during her training after observing how difficult it was for patients who experienced wound infections after cesarean.

New research suggests that postpartum depression may persist for 3 years following birth.

Is 39 the new 41 when it comes to weeks of gestation for induction of labor?

A baby’s gender is often detected via ultrasound around 20 weeks of pregnancy. What if there was a way to know sooner?

New research suggests that air pollutant particles and metals are reaching the placenta.

Over the past decade, efforts to reduce unnecessary antibiotic use in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) have increased. A new report delivered results of a comprehensive quality improvement run in a level 4 NICU with the goal of decreasing antibiotic use by 20%

Each year, approximately 24,000 babies are stillborn in the U.S, and as many as half of all pregnancies may end in miscarriage.

New research suggests that placental DNA may have potential as a biomarker for adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs).

Although previous research has shown preterm (PTB) and post-term births to result in adverse neuropsychiatric outcomes in children little research had been done on the outcomes of at-term deliveries.

A new study in JAMA Pediatrics analyzed the number of microcephaly cases that resulted from congenital microcephaly and how it may be a larger cause than the 2016 Zika epidemic.

A new study published in JAMA Network Open investigated whether perinatal depression and/or anxiety impacted childhood development.

Dust mite allergens in breast milk may prevent food allergies, according to new research.

Exposure to cigarette smoke is a well-known risk factor for adverse obstetrical outcomes and new research suggests it may also cause weight gain and childhood obesity.

Although myomectomy may prolong the operative time and the postoperative hospital stay, there are numerous potential benefits including avoiding a follow-up operation to remove uterine fibroids.

As detailed in the September issue, the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) is highlighting one of these situations: the role of activity restriction in obstetric management.

Little evidence supports the routine use of activity restriction for preterm birth and other obstetric conditions, and some data indicate adverse impact on obstetric outcomes.

Pregnant patients learning to navigate the world of genetic health now have access to an app that helps to explain chromosomes, conditions that prenatal screening can identify, and available testing options such as non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT).

An updated clinical report from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) investigated whether breastfeeding could prevent certain allergies.

A new study in The Lancet: Child and Adolescent Health investigated the use of a machine-learning algorithm for neonatal seizure recognition.

The obstetric comorbidity scoring system was developed by NIH-funded researchers for classifying severe maternal morbidity.

Data on COVID-19 during pregnancy, as reported by the CDC, in collaboration with state, local, and territorial health departments and external partners.

A new study released by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) indicates that opioid use in women may result in higher chances of pregnancy loss and lower chances of conceiving.

Hear Her aims to raise awareness of pregnancy-related deaths and provide support and education to pregnant women and postpartum women (within 1 year of delivery).

Researchers sought to investigate the effects of endometrioma and the impact of bilaterality on in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) outcomes.

A new study offers important new insights into various placental functions and describes a new physiological phenomenon.

A literature review in Pediatrics sought to understand more about the possible impacts.

A literature review published in Pediatrics analyzed whether the practice of immunizations during pregnancy influence other early health outcomes.

A new study in the New England Journal of Medicine investigated the joint effect of gestational age and Apgar scores on the risks of neonatal death.