Deworming During Pregnancy can Lower Neonatal Mortality by Hannah Joy on May 4, 2021 at 7:05 PM
Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) is a huge burden, especially during pregnancy. However, a new study suggests expectant mothers to go for deworming to reduce neonatal mortality and low birthweight.
More than 25% of the world s population (greater than 1.5 billion people) face the burden of soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections, a species of intestinal parasite whose eggs develop in the soil before finding a new host. The main cause of this high infection rate is lack of access to adequate sanitation facilities (toilets) and the consequent contamination of the environment with human feces. While universal access to adequate sanitation is one of the sustainable development goals, parasite burdens are still causing harm. Fortunately, deworming medicines are highly effective and safe.
Exercise During Pregnancy May Save Children From Metabolic Diseases by Anjanee Sharma on March 16, 2021 at 10:18 PM
Research suggests that exercise during pregnancy may substantially decrease their offspring s chances of developing diabetes and other metabolic diseases later in life.
A mice study discovered that maternal exercise during pregnancy prevented the transmission of metabolic diseases from an obese parent (mother or father) to the child.
Zhen Yan, researcher, states, Most of the chronic diseases we talk about today are known to have a fetal origin. This is to say that the parents poor health conditions before and during pregnancy have negative consequences to the child, potentially through chemical modification of the genes.
Study Shows How Zika Virus Passes from Mother to Fetus During Pregnancy by Colleen Fleiss on February 3, 2021 at 11:22 PM
A new mechanism identified by researchers explains how Zika virus can pass from mothers to their children during pregnancy - a process known as vertical transmission. The study was led by a University of South Florida Health (USF Health) Morsani College of Medicine research team.
The researchers showed, for the first time, that specialized cells lining the uterus (maternal decidual cells) act as reservoirs for trimester-dependent transmission of the virus through the placenta - accounting for both the fetus s greater susceptibility to first-trimester Zika infection and for the more serious congenital defects observed in early versus late pregnancy.
Improving India s Air Quality Prevents 7% of Pregnancy Losses by Hannah Joy on January 8, 2021 at 5:00 PM
South Asia has the highest burden of pregnancy loss globally. Gestational exposure to PM2.5 increased the likelihood of pregnancy loss. However, meeting India s air quality targets across south Asia may prevent 7 percent of pregnancy losses. The modelling study suggested that pregnant women in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, who are exposed to poor air quality, may be at higher risk of stillbirths and miscarriages.
An estimated 349,681 pregnancy losses per year in south Asia were associated with exposure to PM2.5 concentrations that exceeded India s air quality standard (more than 40 ig/m or micrograms per cubic meter air), accounting for 7 per cent of annual pregnancy loss in the region from 2000-2016.
Zika Virus Affects Fetal Eye Development During Pregnancy but Not After Birth by Iswarya on December 21, 2020 at 12:33 PM
Zika infection during the first trimester of pregnancy can affect fetal retinal development and cause congenital ocular anomalies; however, the virus does not appear to affect ocular growth postnatally, according to a new study. The findings of the study are published in the journal
JCI Insight.
While the SARS-CoV-2 virus has dominated the news this past year, researchers continue to study the health effects of the Zika virus, which has been reported in 86 countries globally.
The Zika virus is primarily transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito from the Aedes genus. However, it can also be passed through sexual contact, blood transfusions, organ transplants, and between mother and baby during pregnancy. The virus has been documented to cause a range of birth defects, including microcephaly and various neurological, musculoskeleta