https://medicalxpress.com/pregnancy-news/ en-us Latest health news and information about Pregnancy It is known that the antiepileptic drug valproate increases the risk of developmental disorders in unborn children. A study conducted by the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), the Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities, the University of Tübingen, and the University Heidelberg using lab-grown tissue models of the human brain gives new insights into the effects this drug has on early brain development. They open new avenues for research to mitigate the risk during pregnancy. The study has been published in Molecular Psychiatry. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-common-epilepsy-drug-disrupts-early.html Fri, 22 May 2026 12:40:03 EDT news698668621 Gestational diabetes is a special type of diabetes that can affect pregnant women. The condition is defined as elevated blood sugar levels, without previously known diabetes. Treatment involves self-monitoring of blood sugar, advice on lifestyle habits and, if necessary, medication. Identifying gestational diabetes is important because the disease increases the risk of complications such as preeclampsia, the need for a cesarean section and high birth weight for the baby. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-gestational-diabetes-weight.html Thu, 21 May 2026 12:40:03 EDT news698578381 Planned early birth for pregnant women with high blood pressure cuts maternal complications by nearly half and reduces the risk of stillbirth, without increasing the likelihood of cesarean section, according to data published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-early-birth-safer-mother-baby.html Wed, 20 May 2026 20:00:06 EDT news698493901 A new study from Karolinska Institutet shows that different SSRI medications affect metabolic processes in developing nerve cells in distinct ways. Alterations in energy metabolism, oxidative stress and lipid profiles suggest that these drugs are not biologically equivalent. The findings provide new insights into biological mechanisms but do not show that SSRIs cause autism, ADHD or other neurodevelopmental disorders. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-ssris-affect-metabolism-early-brain.html Tue, 19 May 2026 16:20:03 EDT news698423041 In parts of the world where daily nutrition is unstable, pregnancy and newborn health are more precarious. A recent study led by epidemiologist Dongqing Wang of the George Mason University College of Public Health adds to the evidence that improving maternal nutrition during pregnancy may be a key intervention to improve birth outcomes. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-nutrition-pregnancy-birth-outcomes-global.html Mon, 18 May 2026 15:40:03 EDT news698335411 Underlying cardiovascular risk, rather than older age, drives complications such as venous thromboembolism, cardiomyopathy and heart failure during pregnancy, according to new Weill Cornell Medicine research. The findings may encourage doctors to more actively address cardiovascular health in patients before they become pregnant. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-age-cardiovascular-pregnancy.html Mon, 18 May 2026 12:20:08 EDT news698323441 Azithromycin exposure in pregnancy was not associated with neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring, according to a retrospective cohort study, and use in late pregnancy was linked with some lower risks. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-azithromycin-exposure-pregnancy-neurodevelopmental-disorders.html Fri, 15 May 2026 12:40:04 EDT news698064301 Current evidence does not support a causal link between the use of almost all antidepressants during pregnancy and an increased risk of neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), in children, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis published in The Lancet Psychiatry journal. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-antidepressant-pregnancy-autism-adhd-link.html Thu, 14 May 2026 18:30:02 EDT news697975365 Common environmental chemicals could affect birthweight and placental function, according to a study published in Environmental Science & Technology and led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal). Conducted within the Barcelona Life Study Cohort (BiSC), the research underscores the importance of considering real-life exposure to complex chemical mixtures and highlights the role of angiogenic biomarkers in linking these exposures to fetal development. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-prenatal-exposure-chemical-mixtures-fetal.html Thu, 14 May 2026 16:53:06 EDT news697996321 In most people, influenza stays in the upper respiratory tract—mainly the nose—and clears without spreading further. But during pregnancy, the virus can extend beyond the lungs into the cardiovascular system, increasing the risk of severe complications for mothers and babies. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-immune-overreaction-linked-deadly-flu.html Thu, 14 May 2026 15:12:11 EDT news697990261 Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen and naproxen, taken during the first trimester of pregnancy are not associated with an increased risk of major birth defects, according to a new study published in PLOS Medicine by Sharon Daniel of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and Clalit Health Services, Beer-Sheva, Israel, and colleagues. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-common-nsaids-trimester-birth-defect.html Thu, 14 May 2026 14:00:03 EDT news697975419 A child's future heart health may be partially shaped before they are born, reports a new Northwestern Medicine study that found pregnancy complications are linked to poorer cardiovascular health in offspring more than 20 years later. The study has been published in JAMA Network Open. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-heart-disease-womb.html Thu, 14 May 2026 11:00:08 EDT news697967718 Giving tranexamic acid to women with placenta previa (when the placenta covers the cervical opening) undergoing cesarean birth leads to a significant yet modest reduction in severe bleeding after delivery with no evidence of an increase in serious adverse events, finds a trial from China published by The BMJ . https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-drug-dangerous-high-cesarean-births.html Wed, 13 May 2026 18:30:02 EDT news697886227 Experiencing bitter or non-bitter flavors before birth can shape taste likes or dislikes after being born, according to new research led by the Durham University Department of Psychology. Researchers found that young children are less likely to react negatively to the smell of vegetables they were repeatedly exposed to in the womb. They say their findings could have implications for establishing healthy eating habits in children. The findings are published in the journal Developmental Psychobiology. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-kids-veggie-scents-womb.html Wed, 13 May 2026 15:32:36 EDT news697904610 Occupational burnout is a growing threat to care quality, workforce retention and physician well-being. Pregnant and postpartum physicians-in-training are especially at risk, facing stigma, limited support, and physical demands, alongside major role transitions and increased responsibilities at home. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-parental-package-burnout-physician-trainees.html Wed, 13 May 2026 11:00:03 EDT news697797181 Pregnant women in the United States are routinely tested for gestational diabetes, a condition where the body has high blood sugar during pregnancy that can lead to health problems for both mothers and babies. But even when the mother has not reached the threshold for gestational diabetes, higher levels of blood sugar during pregnancy may result in poorer birth outcomes, according to a new study led by Penn State researchers. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-elevated-blood-sugar-pregnancy-result.html Wed, 06 May 2026 17:00:05 EDT news697303501 Shortness of breath, coughing, and respiratory infections. Childhood asthma, also known as asthmatic bronchitis, is one of the most common chronic diseases in children worldwide. But why does the disease develop? Research shows that conditions in the very early phase of life—already during pregnancy—are likely to be decisive. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-mothers-specific-fatty-acid-blood.html Fri, 01 May 2026 12:20:01 EDT news696853681 Major depression fluctuates during and after pregnancy but has the highest prevalence two weeks after giving birth, a University of Queensland study has found. Researchers used data from 780 studies, collected from more than 2 million women and girls across 90 countries around the world—the largest mental health study of its kind. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-major-depression-women-girls-peaks.html Fri, 01 May 2026 09:00:01 EDT news696844381