Tenofovir, Vaccine Combo Eliminates Mom-to-Child HBV Transmission
Earlier maternal tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) combined with infant vaccination completely eliminated vertical transmission of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) from highly viremic mothers, even without the use of hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIg), a randomized trial conducted in China found. At 28 weeks postpartum, mother-to-child transmission was an identical 0% with early maternal TDF therapy […]
A high-fat diet in pregnant monkeys impairs fetal blood stem cells
Maternal consumption of a Western-style diet alters the transcriptional landscape of fetal blood stem cells in rhesus macaques, researchers report November 3rd in the journal Stem Cell Reports. “This discovery is the first demonstration in primates that maternal unhealthy diet and obesity disrupt the immune system in the developing fetus,” says Oleg Varlamov of the […]
Depressive Symptoms in Moms Linked to Unhealthy Behaviors in Teens
Maternal depressive symptoms were associated with an increase in the number of unhealthy adolescent behaviors, a 15-year longitudinal study showed. While unhealthy behaviors were found to be common among adolescents in general, with two out of three engaging in at least one, higher levels of maternal depressive symptoms during a child’s middle childhood and adolescence […]
Opinion | The Healthcare Industry Can Do More for Maternal Health
Improving the health of the next generation starts with eliminating gaping inequities in maternal health outcomes. When the U.S. Vice President issues a call to action and follow-up measures to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity — an issue the industry has known about for decades — it is past time for healthcare leaders to make […]
Exercise during pregnancy reduces the risk of Type-2 Diabetes in offspring
A new study has demonstrated that maternal exercise during pregnancy improves the metabolic health of offspring, even when the mother is obese or on a high-fat diet. Physical exercise by the mother induces the placenta to secrete the key protein SOD3, resulting in a lowered risk of diabetes for the offspring. The findings in the […]
Chemicals from hair and beauty products impact hormones, especially during pregnancy
Use of certain personal care products during pregnancy may impact maternal hormone levels, according to a new Rutgers study. Personal care and beauty products contain several ingredients that often include a wide range of endocrine-disrupting chemicals like phthalates, parabens, phenols, parabens and toxic metals. These chemicals interact with hormone systems, influencing synthesis, regulation, transport, metabolism […]
Maternal diets rich in Omega-3 fatty acids may protect offspring from breast cancer, study suggests
According to researchers at Marshall University, a maternal diet rich in Omega-3 fatty acids protects from breast cancer development in offspring. In a new study recently published by Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, researchers noted a significant difference in mice from mothers that were fed a diet rich in canola oil, compared with mothers […]