Finally some good news about the Zika virus. Infection during the third trimester of pregnancy appears to not cause serious harm to the developing baby. The Zika virus has previously been shown to attack fetal brain cells, causing severe birth defects. A new report published in the New English Journal of Medicine finds that maternal […] More
Cytomegalovirus, or the CMV virus, is a common virus in the herpes virus family that infects individuals of all ages. CMV is a common viral infection, especially among young children. The virus spreads from person to person through bodily fluids such as blood, saliva, mucus, urine, semen, and breast milk. Infection with CMV after birth […] More
Approximately 10 percent of pregnant women in the United States develop the yeast infection vaginal candidiasis. Health care providers most often recommend intravaginal formulations of topical azole antifungals as the first-line treatment for pregnant women but also often prescribe oral fluconazole. Now a study published in the journal JAMA suggests that the use of the […] More
The majority of miscarriages occur as a result of a chromosomal abnormality. An estimated one in five pregnancies ends in miscarriage, usually during the first trimester. Now a new alternative DNA test offers clinically relevant genetic information that may help identify the reason that a miscarriage occurred years earlier. Publishing in the March issue of […] More
Women who respond poorly to IVF ovarian stimulation by producing low numbers of eggs have an increased risk of miscarriage, says a new study by researchers at the University of Birmingham. In vitro fertilization, IVF, is a fertility treatment that involves combining eggs and sperm outside the body and then placing the embryo in the […] More
Previous research published earlier in the year suggested a link between bacteria and premature preterm rupture of membranes (PPROM) in pregnant women, often resulting in preterm birth. Now a new study published in the journal JAMA suggests that pregnancy puts women at an increased risk for infection with the bacterium Haemophilus influenzae, subsequently increasing the […] More
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB) and naproxen (Aleve) are increasingly used by pregnant women to treat pain, fever, and inflammation during the first trimester of pregnancy. Now a new study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) confirms that women who use NSAIDS during pregnancy do not have an increased […] More
The negative health effects of smoking and secondhand smoke are widely known. Now a new study recently published online in the journal Tobacco Control, a journal of the BMJ, suggests that passive smoking, or secondhand smoke, increases the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, and ectopic pregnancy. The study begins by noting that previous research links smoking […] More
