Immigrants make up nearly 16% of Philadelphia’s population of 1.6 million, according to a 2024 report from Pew Charitable Trusts. Pew reports this marks the largest percentage since the 1940s,…
Tag: Pregnancy
Toxoplasma is a common parasite that causes birth defects – but the US doesn’t screen for it during pregnancy
Imagine the shock of your baby being born with a swollen brain, blindness and debilitating seizures. Now imagine learning that these devastating conditions could have been prevented if you took…
Prenatal Cannabis Use Impacts Brain Development
Summary: A new study suggests prenatal cannabis exposure may influence long-term brain development and mental health. Researchers used data from the ABCD Study to examine neuroimaging of children exposed to…
Fetal personhood rulings could nullify a pregnant patient’s wishes for end-of-life care
The Alabama Supreme Court handed down an unprecedented decision in February 2024, holding that stored frozen embryos created for in vitro fertilization, known as IVF, were “minor children” under a…
I’m a political scientist, and the Alabama Supreme Court’s IVF ruling turned me into a reproductive-rights refugee
The day before the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos created and used for in vitro fertilization are children, my wife, Gabby, and I were greenlighted by our doctors…
Hundreds of thousands of US infants every year pay the consequences of prenatal exposure to drugs, a growing crisis particularly in rural America
Nearly 1 in 12 newborns in the United States in 2020 – or about 300,000 infants – were exposed to alcohol, opioids, marijuana or cocaine before they were born. Exposure…
Antidepressants Impact Brain Development – Neuroscience News
Summary: Using antidepressants during pregnancy, specifically fluoxetine (found in Prozac and Sarafem), can significantly affect a child’s brain development, particularly in the prefrontal cortex, potentially increasing the risk of mental…
Glyphosate, the active ingredient in the weedkiller Roundup, is showing up in pregnant women living near farm fields – that raises health concerns
Living near farmland can significantly increase people’s exposure to glyphosate, the active ingredient in the widely used herbicide Roundup, new research shows. This chemical has been connected to health concerns,…
Innocent Faces of Fentanyl: Opioid Use Linked to Distinct Birth Anomalies
Summary: Researchers have identified a potential new syndrome in babies born to mothers who used fentanyl during pregnancy. The infants displayed distinctive facial features, small heads, short stature, and various…
New treatment for postpartum depression offers hope, but the stigma attached to the condition still lingers
Postpartum depression can affect anyone, and it often sneaks in quietly, like a shadow in the corners of a new mother’s life. It presents significant challenges for around 1 in…
