New research reveals how trace metals mothers are exposed to during pregnancy can shape their babies’ gut bacteria, metabolic pathways, and even antibiotic resistance, potentially influencing lifelong health. Study: Prenatal exposure to trace elements impacts mother-infant gut microbiome, metabolome and resistome during the first year of life. Image Credit: Anusorn Nakdee / Shutterstock In a recent study … Read more
Special care must be taken with illnesses during pregnancy, as not all drugs are compatible for mother and child. This is why an international research team involving Empa is now developing nanomedicines that will enable safe and effective treatment of inflammatory processes during pregnancy. Pregnancy complications are often caused or accompanied by inflammation, but the … Read more
An updated systematic review finds that consuming cannabis while pregnant appears to increase the odds of preterm birth, low birth weight and infant death. The study by researchers at Oregon Health & Science University published today in the journal JAMA Pediatrics. The lead author is a physician-scientist who provides prenatal care for high-risk pregnancies at … Read more
Organoids are small-scale models that mimic human organs. These models could help scientists understand diseases and test treatments, and potentially aid in regenerative therapeutic methods. Organoids derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs), represent a promising frontier in medical research. Unfortunately, growing organoids that are large and functional enough to be truly useful is … Read more
A new Weill Cornell Medicine and Oregon Health & Science University co-authored study provides critical insight for the development of a vaccine that can more effectively block the spread of cytomegalovirus, or CMV, across the placenta to babies before they are born. CMV is one of the most common viruses and most people don’t even … Read more
A new blood test has an 80% accuracy in predicting preterm preeclampsia, according to a study published today, Feb. 12, in the journal Nature Medicine. The condition, which results in over 70,000 maternal deaths and 500,000 fetal deaths each year worldwide, has long been hard to predict. This makes proactive treatment challenging, according to one of the study’s lead … Read more
Allergies and asthma are widespread diseases that could arise during embryonal development in the womb. A team led by Empa researcher Tina Bürki is investigating the possible causes of this. The focus is on nanoplastic particles, which could lead to the development of a hypersensitive immune system in the child. The project is supported by … Read more
The Future of Vitamin D and Pregnancy: A deeper Dive The link between vitamin D and pregnancy outcomes is gaining increasing attention in the medical community. Recent research, like the study conducted by Penn State’s Department of Nutritional Sciences, highlights the crucial role vitamin D plays in fetal development and the potential risks associated with … Read more