Pregnant women exposed to different pesticides may give birth to children with lower intelligence, suggests research
Mums-to-be exposed to organophosphates, pesticides used on food crops, during pregnancy may have children with lower intelligence research has suggested. It seems the pesticides might impair a child’s cognitive development.
The study, which looked at more than 400 children from New York, revealed that exposure could have been from eating fruit and ... Continue reading
Stillbirths – and the UK’s relatively high rate for a high-income nation – are in the headlines with new figures published today
The UK’s stillbirth rate is the third worst among high-income nations, according to new stillbirth figures published today in the medical journal The Lancet. There also seems to be significant regional variations in Britain. In the East Midlands, stillbirths are 33% more likely than in the South West, according to the ... Continue reading
Omega-3 in pregnancy could hold the key to preventing new mums developing post-natal depression, claims new study
Eating plenty of omega-3 rich foods in pregnancy could improve your mental wellbeing as a new mum. A new study has found that omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in oily fish, have been linked to lower levels of postnatal depression (PND).
Fish oil supplements were given to 26 pregnant women five ... Continue reading
Research shows that keeping fit during your pregnancy improves the health of your unborn baby’s heart
Exercising when you’re pregnant has been found to have a beneficial effect on your unborn baby’s heart.
A study by American researchers has shown that regular physical activity helps to reduce the heart rate of your foetus, improving cardiovascular health. This positive effect was also found to continue after a baby is ... Continue reading
Pregnant women warned to avoid alcoholic drinks as new evidence suggests as little as two glasses of wine a week could be damaging
Drinking even small amounts of alcohol while you’re pregnant could harm your unborn baby, suggests a new study from Ireland. Researchers have found that just two glasses of wine a week could affect unborn babies’ development.
The study looked at the alcohol consumption by 60,000 mums-to-be in Dublin between 2000 and 2007. ... Continue reading
The length of time a baby breastfeeds has been linked to brain size and intelligence by a new study of mammals
The length of time babies breastfeed has been linked to the size of their brains. The longer the breastfeeding period the bigger the brain, according to a new study at Durham University.
“The study supports the theory that breastfeeding and brain development are associated with each other,” said Professor Robert Burton, the ... Continue reading
The foods you love may be down to your mum’s pregnancy diet, a new study has found
Pregnant women and breastfeeding mums may have a bigger influence on their babies’ future food preferences that previously thought, a new study has found.
Junk food diets that are high in sugar, salt and fat may change the reward receptors in the brains of unborn and breastfeeding babies, altering their natural food ... Continue reading
Experts do a u-turn, saying IVF success is not as affected by stress levels, as previously thought
Stress doesn’t prevent IVF working, according to a new study. Despite previous research suggesting stress levels can reduce the success rate of IVF, the new research has found that emotional factors appear not to lower the chances of getting pregnant.
“Women having fertility treatment do worry that stress can affect their chances of becoming ... Continue reading
It's true, apparently. Focusing on the faces of loved ones can be a powerful painkiller, says study
Looking at photographs of your loved ones can kill pain, according to a new study. Researchers found that looking at photos triggered so many positive emotions, they were able to physically dull pain.
The research involved 28 women, who were given heat-pain tests where a tiny patch of skin is touched with ... Continue reading
Midwifery students in Leicester learn basic sign language to talk to deaf mums-to-be
Midwives in Leicester are being taught how to give sign language instructions to deaf women during labour. Students training to become midwives at De Montfort University (DMU) in Leicester will be taught basic signing and be briefed about the issues facing deaf people – specifically mums-to-be and new mums.
The course is running ... Continue reading
