Magnesium to Delay Premature Labor Reduces Baby’s Risk of Cerebral Palsy

When a woman experiences premature labor during pregnancy, she may be given an intravenous treatment of magnesium sulfate as a means of delaying labor and preventing premature delivery.  A new study reveals the treatment may come with an added bonus - using magnesium to delay premature labor reduces the baby’s risk of developing cerebral palsy. Read more

C-Sections May Increase the Risk of Diabetes

An exhaustive study that spanned the globe reveals an increased risk, by 20%, a child born by Cesarean section (C-section) will develop type 1 diabetes before turning 15.  Headquartered at Queen’s University Belfast, Northern Ireland, the research team reports 2.3 million United Kingdom (UK) citizens are diabetic, 250,000 of whom have type 1, or the most common form of childhood, diabetes.  In Northern Ireland, there are 6,000 people diagnosed with type 1 diabetes among 62,000 total diabetics nationwide. Read more

Amniotic Fluid Infection Triggers Premature Birth

Describing their findings as a "little shocking," researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine say amniotic fluid infections occur at a much higher rate than previously imagined and these same infections seem to be a trigger that causes premature births. Until now, the amniotic fluid surrounding the fetus during gestation has been thought to be generally sterile and safe, free from any risks associated with the health of either mother or child. Read more

Retail Clinics Meet Parents’ Needs for Children’s Care

According to a survey of 2,064 adults selected at random, parents are turning more and more often to retail clinics for the medical attention their children need.  And they say the main reason why they do so is because it’s much more convenient than trying to get a doctor’s appointment. Read more

Squeaky-Clean Aromas Wash Away Baby’s Immune System

Nobody would argue that the arrival of a new baby is a time when cleanliness is critical but a new study suggests too much of a good thing can leave your child gasping for breath.  Seems asthma has a tendency to develop in young children if they were exposed to excessive cleaning solvents and chemicals before and after they were born. Read more

Diabetes Before Pregnancy Increases Risk of Birth Defects

An extensive study conducted by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has revealed the elevated risk of birth defects in women diagnosed with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes before becoming pregnant.  Children born to diabetic mothers are at three to four times more risk of having a wide array of birth defects than children born to mothers without the disease or to those who develop gestational diabetes during pregnancy. Read more

Tobacco Smoke In Utero, Infancy Raises Baby’s Risk of Allergy, Asthma

Mothers who smoke cigarettes during pregnancy double their children’s chances of developing asthma before their fourth birthdays. And the more a pregnant mother smoked, the higher her child’s chance of developing asthma in the first few years of life. Smoking also increases the child’s chances of developing allergies at a young age. Read more

Preemies Often Plagued by Social, Economic Woes in Adulthood

Modern medicine has made it possible for more and more babies born early to survive a rocky beginning and the majority of them grow up to enjoy a healthy and prosperous adult life. A number of them, however, seem to be destined to a life plagued with problems that range from medical to social and economic woes as they mature into adulthood. Even preemies born without medical complications can face a hard time as an adult, according to an exhaustive study conducted by researchers in Norway who studied the lives of almost a million babies born between 1967 and 1983. Read more

6 Diet Tips for Coping with Morning Sickness

Morning sickness is something every pregnant woman encounters during the journey of birth. It can be terribly annoying, but more importantly it can restrict the nutrients that your baby needs during the term of pregnancy. It’s a difficult line to tread: make your life more comfortable for the short-term or do what you need to do to ensure your baby’s safety. It’s obvious which one wins out – your baby. Read more

Obese Men Trade Pounds for Fertility

It has become common knowledge that women who carry excessive weight have difficulties conceiving and are urged to lose weight before trying to become pregnant.  Researchers in Scotland report that men who are overweight face fertility issues, too, and should consider shaping up before trying to father children.  The research team from the University of Aberdeen reported their findings to the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology’s 24th annual conference on July 9. Read more

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