All Microbiome & Pregnancy articles
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NewsMissing nutrient in breast milk may explain health challenges in children of women with HIV
A new study reveals that breast milk from women living with HIV contains significantly lower levels of tryptophan, an essential amino acid likely important for infant immune function, growth, and brain development.
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NewsBabies born eight to ten weeks early can be safely milk fed without risk of gut complications, finds a new study
A major study has found that babies born between eight to ten weeks early can be fed with milk through a tube in their stomach straight after birth rather than being given intravenous feeds through a drip.
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NewsResearchers probe how malaria harms unborn babies
UK-based Wellcome has awarded over €2 million to an international research effort to uncover how malaria can injure developing babies.
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NewsMaldives is first country to achieve ‘triple elimination’ of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B
The World Health Organization has validated the Maldives for eliminating mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B, while maintaining its earlier validation for EMTCT of HIV and syphilis. This makes the Maldives the first country in the world to achieve ‘triple elimination’.
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News‘Good’ gut bacteria boost placenta for healthier pregnancy
Research has found the first clear evidence that the ‘good’ gut bacteria Bifidobacterium breve in pregnant mothers regulates the placenta’s production of hormones critical for a healthy pregnancy. Pregnant mice without Bifidobacterium breve in their gut had a higher rate of complications, and increased fetal loss.
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NewsResearch reveals fetuses exposed to Zika virus have long-term immune challenges
Researchers discovered that when a pregnant mother is infected with Zika virus, the resulting inflammatory response in the placenta permanently changes how the offspring’s immune system develops - even if the infection is mild or asymptomatic in the mother.
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NewsLong Ebola: Sudan virus can persist in survivors for months, study shows
More than half of survivors of the Sudan Ebola virus still suffer serious health problems two years post-infection and the virus can persist in semen and breast milk for months after recovery, according to the first study examining the virus’s long-term effects.
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NewsUnder half in US would recommend some routine vaccinations during pregnancy
Data from a new APPC health survey finds a reluctance among the public to recommend that someone who is pregnant get a Covid-19 vaccine, with just 38% saying they would do so. Less than half of the survey respondents (42%) say it is safe to take an mRNA Covid-19 vaccine during pregnancy.
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NewsMilk matters: How donor human milk storage affects preemie gut health
A study reveals that shorter storage durations of donor human milk are linked to reduced gastrointestinal complicatoins in premature infants, including necrotizing enterocolitis. These findings suggest that minimizing milk storage time may help to preserve protective properties crucial for preterm gut health.
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NewsIn pregnant mice with severe flu, harmful molecules can breach fetal barriers
A new study shows, for the first time, that severe flu infection in pregnant mice leads to a breakdown in placental and brain barriers, leading to the accumulation of potentially harmful molecules in the fetal brain. Fibrinogen can pass into developing fetal brains.
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NewsFood additives in pregnancy: effects on offspring microbiota increase susceptibility to inflammatory diseases
A study conducted in mice reveals that maternal consumption of dietary emulsifiers can have a negative impact on the gut microbiota of their offspring and may increase their risk of developing chronic inflammatory gut disorders and obesity in adulthood.
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NewsDiet rich in vegetable protein and fiber helps maternal and infant health during pregnancy and breastfeeding
A Mediterranean-style diet, rich in fibre, vegetable proteins and healthy fats, benefits maternal health during pregnancy and breastfeeding. It prevents fat accumulation and optimizes the composition of the microbiota in the digestive system.
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NewsMaternal gut microbiome composition may be linked to preterm births
Researchers have found that the presence of certain bacteria in the maternal gut microbiome during early pregnancy is linked to a higher risk of preterm birth. The study reports that one particular species, Clostridium innocuum, contains a gene that can degrade estradiol—an important pregnancy hormone.
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NewsStudy shows how diet and gut microbiota can counter the baby blues
Microbiome diversity and relative abundance of butyrate-producing bacteria were associated with high levels of depressive mood. But a diet rich in fermented foods, soy products, mushrooms, and seaweed may help regulate the gut environment and contribute to preventing depression.
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NewsStudy finds tiny microbes shape brain development
New research finds that microbes play an important role in shaping early brain development, specifically in a key brain region that controls stress, social behavior, and vital body functions.
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NewsGene therapy may block HIV transmission during breastfeeding, study shows
Delivering broadly neutralizing antibodies against HIV-1 to newborns via gene therapy provided them with multi-year protection from HIV/AIDS infection, according to an animal study.
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NewsPioneering research reveals worldwide scale of Hepatitis C among babies and children
A new study has estimated for the first time the number of children born globally with hepatitis C virus. Each year around 74,000 children globally are born with hepatitis C virus (HCV), with around 23,000 of these estimated to still have HCV infection at age five.
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NewsResearch reveals STIs during pregnancy linked to adverse birth complications
Common sexually transmitted infections during pregnancy have been linked to a higher risk of significant birth complications including preterm birth, stillbirth and babies born smaller than expected.
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NewsNew jab protects babies from serious lung infection, study shows
Vaccination of pregnant women has been linked to a drop in newborns being admitted to hospital with a serious lung infection, research suggests.
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NewsStudy suggests some maternal HIV infections may be missed during pregnancy
Newborns exposed to HIV during pregnancy or birth should receive antiretroviral medication immediately after delivery - but a study finds more than half of infants diagnosed with HIV in their first year of life had not received this essential postnatal treatment.