As more states legalize cannabis (now 37) for medical or recreational purposes its use during pregnancy is increasing, along with the potential for abuse or dependence. A new study, co-led by researchers from Columbia University and Weill Cornell Medicine, has captured the magnitude and issues related to cannabis use disorders during pregnancy by examining diagnostic […]
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Indoor Air Pollution Is a Major Culprit in Preterm Births
Scientists have long known that exposure to air pollution during pregnancy increases risks for preterm birthor low birth weight. New findings suggest that pollution exposures are higher in low- and middle-income countries and especially from indoor sources. In 2019, for example, about half the world’s population breathed household air pollution from cooking fires. In addition, […]
US Judge Blocks Enforcement of Near-Total Abortion Ban in Texas
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A federal judge temporarily blocked on Wednesday a near-total ban on abortion in Texas, the toughest such law in the United States, following a challenge from President Joe Biden’s administration after the U.S. Supreme Court let it proceed. The action by U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman in Austin prevents the state from […]
Jury Out on PIGF Testing for Suspected Pre-eclampsia
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – The addition of placental growth factor (PlGF) measurement to usual care of women with suspected pre-eclampsia does not improve maternal or neonatal outcomes, according to results of PARROT Ireland, the largest multicenter randomized controlled trial of PlGF-based testing for women with suspected pre-eclampsia to date. “Given the lack of maternal […]
‘Munchausen by Internet’ Crises a Warning for All HCPs
A new study documents a handful of cases of women with Munchausen syndrome by internet who targeted doulas in the United Kingdom during the COVID-19 lockdown. The women pretended to have a variety of dramatic perinatal crises that garnered them significant attention from birth support professionals. The five cases were investigated by Kathryn V. J. […]
Pregnant women in South-East Asia more likely to use smokeless tobacco
Pregnant women in South-East Asia are more likely to use chewing or other kinds of smokeless tobacco than non-pregnant women of reproductive age, according to a study. Published 22 July in Nicotine & Tobacco Research, the study analyzed survey data from 1.3 million women around the world, aged 15 to 49 in 42 lower- to […]
Halsey’s Stress Over Her Prenatal Vitamins Says a Lot About the Pressure of ‘Pregnancy Perfection’
For many people, pregnancy can be a time where there’s a lot of extra attention on your body. This can be positive for some folks (feeling more connected to their bodies, learning new things about themselves and how they need and want to practice self-care) and also pretty dang anxiety-inducing for others (having a lot […]
Visits to crisis pregnancy centers common in Ohio
An estimated one in seven Ohio women of adult reproductive age has visited a crisis pregnancy center, a new study has found. In a survey of 2,529 women, almost 14% said they’d ever attended a center. The prevalence was more than twice as high among Black women and 1.6 times as high among those in […]
55 New Chemicals Found in Pregnant Women, Their Newborns
Fifty-five chemicals never before reported in humans were found in pregnant women, according to a study from the University of California San Francisco. The chemicals likely come from consumer products or industrial sources, researchers say. Findings were published online in Environmental Science and Technology. Co-first authors Aolin Wang, PhD, and Dimitri Panagopoulos Abrahamsson, PhD, postdoctoral […]
In pregnancy, the decision to get a COVID-19 vaccine can feel especially fraught
As a gastroenterology fellow treating patients with COVID-19, Keerthi Shah was eager to get the coronavirus vaccine. As a woman eight months pregnant with her first child, she was hesitant because there has been little research on how the vaccine affects pregnant people and their babies. “Is something going to happen to the baby? I […]