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pregnancy

·December 1, 2025·5 min read

Smelling Fatty Foods in Pregnancy May Raise Obesity Risk in Children

New research shows that exposure to the smell of fatty foods during pregnancy and early life can reprogram the developing brain and increase the risk of obesity and insulin resistance in adulthood. Even when mothers consumed a healthy low-fat diet, the presence of fatty food odors altered how offspring responded to high-fat foods later.

This shows a pregnant woman surrounded by viruses.

Featured Neuroscience

·September 24, 2025·6 min read

Severe Flu in Pregnancy Lets Harmful Molecules Reach Fetal Brain

A new study shows that severe flu infections in pregnant mice compromise both placental and brain barriers, allowing large molecules and fibrinogen to reach the fetal brain. These molecules accumulated in critical regions like the subventricular zone, where neural stem cells develop, raising concerns about long-term impacts on neurodevelopment.

This shows a happy pregnant woman cradling her belly.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·September 18, 2025·4 min read

Fetal Movements Boost Maternal Attachment

A new study shows that fetal movement frequency in late pregnancy is directly tied to stronger maternal-fetal attachment. Using an actocardiograph, researchers objectively measured movements and found that higher activity was associated with greater emotional bonding, even when controlling for other factors like maternal mood or gestational age.

This shows a pregnant woman and gut bacteria.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·July 21, 2025·7 min read

Pregnancy Stress Disrupts Baby’s Microbiome, Increasing Depression Risk

Prenatal stress in mothers can leave a lasting imprint on their offspring, predisposing them to depression-like behaviors. Researchers found that maternal stress disrupts the gut microbiome and metabolite production, which are vertically transmitted to the young.

This shows a pregnant woman and a brain scan.

Featured Neuroscience

·July 15, 2025·5 min read

Common Infections During Pregnancy Don’t Harm Brain Development

A large Danish study found that common infections during pregnancy, such as pneumonia and urinary tract infections, do not harm a child’s brain development or cognitive abilities later in life. Researchers analyzed data from over 270,000 children, comparing school exam results and intelligence test scores with records of maternal infections and antibiotic use during pregnancy.

This shows a child's head, a brain and smoke stacks.

Featured Neuroscience

·June 14, 2025·6 min read

Air Pollution Alters Fetal Brain Structures

A new study reveals that prenatal exposure to common air pollutants like NO₂, PM2.5, and black carbon is associated with subtle but measurable changes in fetal brain structure during the second and third trimesters. Using specialized ultrasound scans, researchers found increased volumes in brain cavities, including the lateral ventricles and cisterna magna, and changes in areas related to motor coordination and sensory processing.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·May 9, 2025·9 min read

Pregnancy Health Shapes a Child’s Blood Pressure for Life

Children born to mothers with obesity, gestational diabetes, or hypertensive pregnancy disorders have significantly higher blood pressure from early childhood through adolescence. These children also experience faster blood pressure increases between ages 2 and 18, highlighting the long-term cardiovascular impact of prenatal exposures.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 7, 2025·8 min read

SSRI Exposure in the Womb May Rewire Brain Circuits

New research suggests that prenatal exposure to SSRIs may alter brain development in ways that increase the risk of depression and anxiety later in life. Using mice and human data, scientists found that early-life SSRI exposure heightened activity in brain fear circuits, a pattern not observed in offspring of depressed mothers who did not take SSRIs.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 16, 2025·5 min read

Mental Health Disorders Linked to Lower Parenthood Rates

A large-scale study using Finnish national data has found that young adults diagnosed with mental disorders are significantly less likely to become parents by age 39. The most pronounced effect was seen in individuals with schizophrenia, while common disorders like depression and anxiety also reduced parenthood rates—especially among men.

This shows a child and a pregnant woman.

Autism Featured Neuroscience

·April 9, 2025·7 min read

Maternal Diabetes Linked to Higher Risk of Autism

Children born to mothers with diabetes face significantly higher risks of developing neurodevelopmental disorders, according to a sweeping new meta-analysis involving over 56 million mother–child pairs. The study, which analyzed 202 research papers, found that maternal diabetes—especially pre-gestational diabetes—is associated with increased odds of conditions such as autism, ADHD, intellectual disability, and learning disorders.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·April 2, 2025·5 min read

Pregnant Women Face Lower Odds of Long COVID

A large study of over 72,000 pregnant women found that those infected with SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy were less likely to develop Long COVID than non-pregnant peers. Using data from two national databases, researchers found consistent results: about 16% of pregnant women developed Long COVID symptoms versus 19% of matched non-pregnant women.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·March 27, 2025·3 min read

Stronger Bonds Before Birth Shape Healthier Mother-Child Futures

A new study reveals that young mothers who feel emotionally connected to their unborn babies are more likely to form healthy, positive relationships with their children later. Researchers tracked 160 racially diverse, low-income mothers from pregnancy to their child’s toddler years, showing that prenatal bonding plays a key role in early childhood development.