Children infected with Group B Strep during the birth process are more likely to experience neurodevelopmental disorders and require ongoing special educational support than their peers who were not infected with GBS. Read More
Addressing a previous, widely criticized research paper, a new study reveals there is no link between epidurals during childbirth and an increased risk of autism diagnosis in children. Read More
Prenatal exposure to heavy metals such as cadmium, lead, and arsenic, and increased levels of the mineral manganese, were linked to an increased risk of ADHD and autism spectrum diagnosis in children. Read More
Fetal exposure to phthalates alters cognitive processing in young children, a new study reports. Children whose mothers were exposed to higher levels of phthalates during pregnancy exhibited slower information processing skills. Male children were most likely to experience difficulties. Read More
Study reveals women who gave birth to girls had higher levels of cortisol in hair samples in the weeks before and at the point of conception. Read More
DHA supplements have long been recommended for pregnant women to assist in healthy fetal development. A new study finds DHA supplements can also reverse the impact of early prenatal stress on developing male babies. Read More
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on stress in both pregnant and postpartum women. Researchers say this is concerning as prenatal stress can hamper fetal brain development. Read More
Immune cells in the uterus and placenta of stressed pregnant mice were not activated, but researchers found increased levels of inflammation in the developing fetal brain. Additionally, prenatal stress led to reductions in gut microbial strains and functions, especially in those linked to inflammation. Read More
Mouse study reveals maternal exercise during pregnancy reduced the transmission of metabolic disorders from obese parents, whether the disorder was apparent in the father or mother. Read More
Lower birth weight in medically assisted reproduction babies does not appear to hamper cognitive development to the same degree that it does in naturally conceived children with lower weight at birth. Read More
Pomegranate juice appears to have neuroprotective effects in pregnancies marked by intrauterine growth restriction. Researchers found pomegranate juice reduced the risk of brain injury in infants with IUGR, especially when pregnant women drank it during the third trimester. Read More
Pregnant women exposed to nitrates through household drinking water had, on average, babies that weighed ten grams less than women with no exposure to nitrates in drinking water. High levels of nitrate in tap water can cause infant methemoglobinemia, a fatal condition in newborns. Read More
