Researchers are developing a blood test that could help identify brain injury in babies who experience birth asphyxia during delivery. Asphyxia is a term used to describe a dangerous lack of oxygen that often causes brain injury.  Perinatal or birth asphyxia occurs during labor and at birth, as the name implies.  Causes of birth asphyxia … Continued

A new study suggests exposure to iodine in the NICU could put vulnerable infants with congenital hypothyroidism at risk for worsened thyroid dysfunction. As we discussed earlier, the butterfly-shaped gland at the front of your neck works ceaselessly throughout life to regulate metabolism, hormones, and other regulatory functions. For premature infants and newborns with congenital … Continued

Throughout pregnancy, women undergo a lot of change and a variety of tests. Based on results, treatment may, or may not, be initiated while the pregnancy is ongoing.  For those with subclinical hypothyroidism, a new study finds pregnant women may be overdiagnosed and overtreated. The small, butterfly-shaped thyroid gland that resides in the front of … Continued

A new research initiative is taking aim at sepsis—an infection that can take the life of mom and baby. Maternal sepsis is a significant danger to women and their babies around the world.  According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Global Maternal Sepsis Study (GLOSS), maternal sepsis infections cause the death of an … Continued

Shoulder dystocia is a term that describes a condition that occurs when the shoulders of a baby get stuck in their mother’s birth canal during vaginal delivery. The condition is common, with about one in 200 children experiencing some kind of shoulder difficulty upon delivery.  Shoulder dystocia can involve one or both shoulders.   While most … Continued

A Veterans Administration (VA) study found suffering traumatic events and moral injury in the past can increase pregnancy risk in the future. Researchers at the National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) at the VA Boston Healthcare System and Boston University School of Medicine evaluated 318 women who became pregnant within three years of separating … Continued

A new study suggests a particular type of antibiotics prescribed to women during the first trimester of pregnancy could increase the risk of major birth defects. Macrolide antibiotics are prescribed for use against a variety of serious infections including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Chlamydia, and Legionella.  You might know these antibiotics better by names that … Continued

A new blood test may help identify a biomarker of a condition during pregnancy that can be a risk factor for cerebral palsy. Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is a condition during pregnancy where a baby does not grow as expected. IUGR may be suggested if a fetus is below the 10th percentile for its gestational … Continued

Recent research discusses that children with unilateral cerebral palsy may be able to use imagery techniques to assist or develop hand function. In a study published in Frontiers in Neurology, researchers from the Department of Medicine and Surgery at the University of Parma, Italy, wanted to better understand the relationship that could exist when children … Continued

Unmonitored kidney disease can worsen outcomes for pregnant women according to a new study. In November, researchers from the University of Cincinnati presented study results at the Kidney Week conference of the American Society of Nephrology in Washington, DC.  Researchers evaluated data from 42,190,790 women who were hospitalized during pregnancy between 2005 and 2015.  Data … Continued