Pregnancy and Health

Hairspray Linked To Common Genital Birth Defect

hareyan — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 11:07:21 -0600

Hairspray is linked to common genital birth defect, says study.

Women who are exposed to hairspray in the workplace during pregnancy have more than double the risk of having a son with the genital birth defect hypospadias, according to a new study published today in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.

The study is the first to show a significant link between hairspray and hypospadias, one of the most common birth defects of the male genitalia, where the urinary opening is displaced to the underside of the penis. The causes of the condition are poorly understood.

Rural pregnant women are at higher risk of blood pressure

hareyan — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 08:53:14 -0600

Several factors, such as older age and high weight gain, are known risk factors for pre-eclampsia and other pregnancy-related blood pressure disorders. Now a new report suggests that social factors - including living in a rural county - may also increase the risk of preeclampsia and pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH), according to research being presented at the American Society of Nephrology's 41st Annual Meeting and Scientific Exposition in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Diabetes in pregnancy doubles infant language delay risk

hareyan — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 09:27:32 -0600

Infants that are born to mothers with pregnancy-related diabetes run twice the risk of language development problems, according to a research team directed by Professor Ginette Dionne of University of Laval's School of Psychology. Details of this discovery are published in the most recent issue of the scientific journal Pediatrics.

Scientists compared the vocabulary and grammar skills of 221 children whose mothers were diagnosed with gestational diabetes to those of 2,612 children from a control group. These tests were conducted at different intervals between ages 18 months and 7 years.

Caffeine during pregnancy linked to fetal growth restriction

hareyan — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 08:35:23 -0600

Consuming caffeine at any time during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of fetal growth restriction (low birth weight), according to research published on bmj.com today.

Although some previous studies have also shown this, this BMJ study additionally shows that any amount and type of caffeine intake - from tea, cola, chocolate, cocoa, and some prescription drugs, as well as coffee - is linked with relatively slower fetal growth.

Gaining Too Much Weight During Pregnancy Doubles Risk Of Having Heavy Baby

ruzik_tuzik — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 02:23:50 -0500

A study by the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research of more than 40,000 women and their babies found that women who gained more than 40 pounds during their pregnancies were nearly twice as likely to have a heavy baby. Published in the November issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology, the study found that more than one in five women gains excessive weight during pregnancy, doubling her chances of having a baby that weighs 9 pounds or more.

UK pregnant women offered gift vouchers, beauty treatments to quit smoking

hareyan — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 12:55:15 -0500

The NHS plans to offer treats to pregnant women who smoke so as to encourage them to quit. Pregnant women who smoke are to be offered gift vouchers and beauty treatments to encourage them to quit. The incentives, which also include baby goods, will go to those women who can prove they have kicked the habit.

Telford and Wrekin NHS Trust in Shropshire plans to begin a pilot scheme soon, having already agreed to the idea in principle. But it has been warned that the move could be seen as the Health Service rewarding bad behaviour.

Black Women Face More Obstacles To Early Prenatal Care

ruzik_tuzik — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 23:51:17 -0500

One in five black women in Oklahoma faces barriers to starting prenatal care, such as transportation problems, inability to obtain a doctor's appointment when wanted and not being able to begin prenatal treatment when wanted, according to an Oklahoma State Department of Health report released on Tuesday, the Oklahoman reports.

Pregnant Women Unaware, Misinformed About Flu Shots

ruzik_tuzik — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 04:28:03 -0500

Despite national health experts' long-standing recommendation that women receive a flu shot while pregnant, three-quarters of women responding to a new national survey are unaware or unsure of these recommendations, and only 20 percent of those who are currently pregnant plan to get a flu shot this influenza season. Results from the survey of pregnant women and new mothers, conducted on behalf of the National Women's Health Resource Center (NWHRC) by Harris Interactive showed that a significant proportion of women were unaware of higher health risks associated with influenza during pregnancy.

Docs Don't Deliver 'No Smoking' Message To Pregnant Women

ruzik_tuzik — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 07:06:59 -0500

While everyone knows that smoking is bad for you and that smoking while pregnant is bad for baby, too, pregnant smokers don’t receive much help from their physicians to quit smoking, and few quit once they enter prenatal care, according to a new study.

Pre-Term Infants' Brains Linked To Pregnancy

hareyan — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 09:44:39 -0500

Brain development in infants who are born very prematurely is still incomplete. Factors that cause premature birth may have an impact on the development of the premature infant's brain both during pregnancy and later on after birth. A project conducted as part of the Academy of Finland Research Programme on Neuroscience (NEURO) is concerned to study brain growth and development invery premature or low-weight infants.