Stress during pregnancy may affect baby's sex, risk of preterm birth
A new study has identified markers of maternal stress — both physical and psychological — that may influence a baby's sex and the likelihood of preterm birth.
Read morePregnancy and Childbirth
Potential therapy to treat detrimental effects of marijuana
A new study using a preclinical animal model suggests that prenatal exposure to THC, the psychoactive component of cannabis, makes the brain's dopamine neurons (an integral component of the reward system) hyperactive and increases sensitivity to the behavioral effects of THC during pre-adolescence.
Read morePlacenta transit of an environmental estrogen
The human fetus is considered to be particularly sensitive to environmental contaminants. A team has now been able to demonstrate for the first time how the widespread food estrogen zearalenone behaves in the womb. Using a new analytical method, it was shown that the xenoestrogen migrates through the placenta and is partially converted to other harmful substances.
Read moreMaternal obesity speeds up aging in offspring
The effects of maternal obesity even pass across generations to offspring, accelerating the rate of aging of metabolic problems that occur in normal life.
Read moreDietary supplement from tomatoes discovered to boost sperm quality
Sperm quality can be improved with a simple diet supplement containing a compound found in cooked tomatoes, according to new research.
Read moreSpecial occasion drinking during pregnancy may cause harm
If you thought a glass or two of alcohol on special occasions was safe during pregnancy, think again. Research shows even small amounts of alcohol consumed during pregnancy can cause insulin-resistance, which increases the likelihood of diabetes, in male rat offspring.
Read moreMolecular mechanisms behind women's biological clock
Throughout life, women's fertility curve goes up and down, and researchers have now shown why. The results might have impact on fertility counseling and in the longer term for treatment of infertility.
Read moreTo learn English, bilingual children need robust vocabulary from parents and caregivers
A study examining parents' vocabulary and grammar as an influence on children's acquisition of English, finds that the quality of child-directed speech depends on the speaker's language proficiency. Children who hear a rich vocabulary acquire a rich vocabulary and children who hear a rich vocabulary in full sentences acquire the ability to put their words together in full sentences. Findings have broad implications for immigrant parents' language choices at home and for staffing practices in early care and education centers.
Read moreYale study examines shifts in fertility rates among Generation X women
A new study examines shifts in fertility behaviors among Generation X women in the United States — those born between 1965-1982 — compared to their Baby Boomer counterparts, and explores whether the fertility of college-educated women is increasing more quickly across cohorts in Generation X than the fertility of their less educated counterparts.
Read morePrenatal stress could affect baby's brain
New research has found that maternal stress before and during pregnancy could affect a baby's brain development.
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