All Microbiome & Pregnancy articles
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NewsResearch helps bring new microbiome-focused women’s health product to market
Research has helped inform the development of BloomCalma™, a new intimate care product designed to support skin comfort during pregnancy and after childbirth. The product is the latest example of how academic research can be translated into commercial products.
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NewsQ&A: How do infections get past the placenta’s defenses?
For nine months, the placenta is the primary support system of the fetus, providing both nourishment and protection. Within hours of birth, it is usually discarded as medical waste. But this organ carries clues for the child’s future health and additional pregnancies for the mother.
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NewsVaccinating mothers protects offspring from deadly superbug
Researchers found that a vaccine given to pregnant mice protected their newborn pups from a severe bloodstream infection caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae, a dangerous bacterium that kills thousands of infants in low- and middle-income countries each year and is the leading killer of children globally.
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NewsGlobal study finds stark differences in RSV vaccine uptake
Vaccination against respiratory syncytial virus during pregnancy lowers the risk of severe disease in babies by 74 per cent, but uptake in many countries remains low, according to a review revealing evidence of lower uptake among some socioeconomic and ethnic groups, those with reduced access to healthcare, and mothers of a younger age.
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NewsHPV vaccination before pregnancy linked to lower risk of preterm birth and other major complications
Having received the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine before pregnancy is associated with a lower risk of major pregnancy complications including preterm birth, with the greater reduction in risk seen among women vaccinated at an earlier age, finds a large Swedish study.
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NewsMaternal vaccines protect babies from serious infections, but unequal access limits benefits across Europe
Europe must act now to strengthen maternal vaccination in pregnancy and ensure all women and babies can benefit from a new generation of vaccines to protect against serious infections, says a new series being launched today.
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NewsNew study raises questions about antifungal treatments during pregnancy
A study suggests that common antifungal medicines used during pregnancy may be associated with changes in foetal hormone production. However, the researchers cannot yet say whether the differences observed have consequences for the children later in life.
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NewsA decade without congenital syphilis: a Danish success story
The basis for this public health landmark: universal screening of pregnant people during the first trimester of pregnancy has been offered free of charge in the country since 2010.
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NewsWhy does severe illness during pregnancy sometimes harm neurodevelopment?
Scientists find maternal immune activation alters gene activity in developing mouse brains, increasing risk of neurodevelopmental disorders like autism spectrum
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NewsAlbumin is prevented from crossing the placenta – opening opportunities for design of long-acting biologic medicines
Researchers have uncovered that the placenta distinguishes between antibodies and albumin, a finding that may reshape the future design of biologic medicines with reduced fetal exposure.
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NewsPregnancy increases immune burden on women with arthritis and lupus
New research finds that the immune system of women with autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus react very differently to pregnancy: rheumatoid arthritis patients often experience an improvement in symptoms, while lupus patients have an elevated risk of deterioration.
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NewsBacterial supplements may boost female fertility
As women get older, their uterine environment changes. Researchers show that treating mice and humans with a beneficial bacterium called Lactobacillus gasseri or derived postbiotics may improve fertility among women over the age of 35.
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NewsResearch study investigates how maternal viral infections shape lifelong immune health in offspring
A $2.4 million grant will support research that aims to uncover how viral infections during pregnancy reprogram the developing immune system of the fetus, influencing susceptibility to infectious diseases throughout life.
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NewsResearchers find estrogen-like mycotoxin in every pregnant woman tested
Consuming common foods such as corn chips and popcorn may put pregnant women at risk of being exposed to mycotoxins. A study found hormone-mimicking mycotoxins in 100% of participants.
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NewsResearch team awarded NIH grant to study congenital CMV transmission during pregnancy
A research team has received a new 5-year, $3.87 million R01 grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to investigate how the immune system protects against congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection.
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NewsMicrobiome pioneer Jacques Ravel named 2026 Microbiome Medal Laureate
Jacques Ravel, professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and leader in human microbiome research, has been named by the One Health Microbiome Center as the second laureate of the Microbiome Medal.
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NewsMaternal weight may influence microbiota signalling in amniotic fluid
New research investigates how maternal factors during pregnancy affect small particles produced by the body’s microbiota, giving insights into a new way to monitor maternal and fetal health during pregnancy.
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NewsStudy finds common infection does not increase risk of recurrent preterm birth
A new study has found that the common sexually transmitted infection, Mycoplasma genitalium, also known as MGen, does not appear to increase the risk of recurrent preterm birth. Earlier research suggested that certain Mycoplasma species might contribute to preterm labor, but those studies were limited.
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NewsNew study highlights maternal-fetal TORCH infection risk
Researchers have assessed long-term trends in TORCH infections in India, a region where reliable data have been lacking. TORCH includes pathogens that cause toxoplasmosis, rubella, cytomegalovirus (CMV), herpes simplex virus and other infections.
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NewsMaternal RSV vaccine cuts infant hospitalizations by 70%
A study has found that vaccination against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) during pregnancy reduced the risk of hospitalization in young infants by nearly 70%. It provides early real-world evidence from U.S. clinical care, showing that administering one dose of the maternal RSV vaccine (RSVpreF vaccine) reduces hospitalization related to RSV in young infants.