Pregnancy News and Research

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Placenta's Role in Gestational Diabetes Revealed

A recent study led by the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute has discovered that a deficiency in placental expression of the gene insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGFBP1) and low circulating levels of IGFBP1 are linked to insulin resistance during pregnancy, indicating a potential risk factor for the onset of gestational diabetes.

17 Apr 2024

Nutrient Deprivation Induces Embryonic Diapause in Hungry Mouse Mums

It's challenging to sustain a pregnancy when food is short, or conditions are otherwise tough. That's why many mammalian embryos can postpone their growth to get through periods of environmental stress and then re-enter development when conditions improve.

12 Apr 2024

Breakthrough: Transgenic Cow Produces Human Insulin in Milk

An unassuming brown bovine from the south of Brazil has made history as the first transgenic cow capable of producing human insulin in her milk.

14 Mar 2024

Understanding T Cell Responses to Tuberculosis Infection

Researchers find promising targets for a tuberculosis vaccine and medication by monitoring T cell activity.

7 Feb 2024

SYCE2 Gene Variant Disrupts Alignment of Chromosomes, Potentially Leading to Pregnancy Loss

Scientists at deCODE genetics, a subsidiary of Amgen and their collaborators from Iceland, Denmark and USA published a study today in Nature Structural and Molecular Biology titled "Variant in the synaptonemal complex protein SYCE2 associates with pregnancy loss through effects on recombination".

30 Jan 2024

‘Mini-Placentas’ Help Scientists Study the Causes of Pre-eclampsia and Pregnancy Disorders

Scientists have grown ‘mini-placentas’ in the lab and used them to see how the placenta develops and interacts with the inner lining of the womb – findings that could help scientists better understand and, in future, potentially treat pre-eclampsia.

17 Jan 2024

New Test Scrutinizes All Fetal Genes for Early Disease Detection

A research team from Odense University Hospital and the University of Southern Denmark has developed an innovative screening test.

9 Jan 2024

Largest Gestational Diabetes Study Reveals 9 New Genetic Regions

The largest genetic study of gestational diabetes to date has led to a discovery of nine novel genetic regions linked to this severe and common pregnancy complication.

8 Jan 2024

Epimutations in BRCA1 Gene Linked to Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Research reveals that around 20 per cent of all cases of the most severe form of breast cancer may arise from the small group of normal tissue cells carrying an epimutation of a specific gene.

8 Dec 2023

Unlocking the Mysteries of Fetal Brain Development

Cheryl Rosenfeld has dedicated three decades to investigating the transmission of biological information from mothers to babies during pregnancy.

6 Dec 2023

Unveiling the Dynamics of Pancreatic β-Cells

Pancreatic beta cells, also known as β-cells, are situated within the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas.

5 Dec 2023

New Atlases Reveal Unprecedented Detail of the Human Brain

In two concurrent projects, scientists at the Karolinska Institutet have played a significant role in producing the most extensive atlases of human brain cells to date.

13 Oct 2023

DiNP Exposure in Early Pregnancy May Cause Birth Defects

We are constantly exposed to phthalates in our environment through plastic products such as storage containers, medical devices, packages, fabrics, and toys. Specifically, di-isononyl phthalate is inevitably becoming a part of our lives. Unfortunately, the impact of DiNP on the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy is largely unknown. In a new study, researchers used mice to understand how DiNP affects pregnancy.

4 Sep 2023

Mothers Who Eat Herbs in Early Pregnancy Can Protect Their Grandchildren’s Brains, Finds Study

Mothers who eat apples and herbs in early pregnancy could be protecting the brain health of their children and grandchildren, a Monash University study using genetic models has found.

4 Aug 2023

Dad’s Genes “Remote Control” Mom’s Metabolism to Benefit Fetus

The unborn baby “remote controls” its mother’s metabolism, resulting in a nutritional tug-of-war between the two. The mother’s body requires the baby to survive, but she also needs enough glucose and fats in her system to be able to deliver the baby, breastfeed, and reproduce again.

12 Jul 2023

Mapping Immune Microenvironments in Human Placenta

Until recently, scientific evidence on the ability of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID, to replicate in the human placenta has been inconclusive.

10 Jul 2023

Gut Microbes Could Be Harnessed to Block Mercury Absorption

New research by a team at Pennsylvania State University suggests that microbes in the human gut could be harnessed to block absorption of toxic metals like mercury and help the body absorb useful nutritional ones, like iron.

5 Jul 2023

Understanding Mammary Biology That May Help Find Therapeutic Targets for Breast Cancer

A new study led by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer, University of California, Irvine and Baylor College of Medicine has created the world's largest and most comprehensive map of normal breast tissue, providing an unprecedented understanding of mammary biology that may help identify therapeutic targets for diseases such as breast cancer.

29 Jun 2023

Stem Cell Zoo Uncovers Scaling Laws Governing Species-Specific Development

Pregnancy last around nine months in humans, only 20 days in mice, and up to 17 months in rhinoceroses. Even though many mammalian species go through the same phases of embryo development, the rate of development varies greatly between animals.

21 Jun 2023

Study Reveals Genetic Underpinnings That Allow Highland Mice to Protect Developing Fetuses

Pregnancy at high elevations often is associated with low birth weights and other complications. These challenges occur in a wide range of mammals, from deer mice to human beings.

19 Jun 2023