A doctoral thesis written at the Department of Radiology and Physical Medicine reveals an average presence of eight organochlorine contaminants in the organisms of pregnant women, which are usually ingested by means of food, water and air. These chemical substances may cause some malformations in the genito-urinary system of the foetus, such as cryptorchidism and hypospadias.
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Perth researchers want clearer alcohol guidelines for pregnant women, after finding recommendations for safe levels of drinking during pregnancy vary across the country. Researchers at the Telethon Institue for Child Health Research looked at a range of policies and guidelines from around the world and within Australia.
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MR spectroscopy (MRS) of choline levels shows promise as a marker of fetal lung maturity, according to a recent study conducted by researchers at the University of California-San Francisco.
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Small amounts of alcohol can interfere with the growth of a fetus, but added cholesterol may help prevent a wide array of neurological and physical defects from alcohol exposure, according to a new study in laboratory fish.
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Mice engineered to have cleft palates can be rescued in utero by injecting the mothers with a small molecule to correct the defect, say scientists at the Stanford University School of Medicine and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital. In addition to shedding light on the biology of cleft palate, the research raises hopes that it may one day be possible to prevent many types of human birth defects by using a similar vaccination-type technique in pregnant women likely to have affected fetuses.
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Soon-to-be mums admit they feel 'left in the dark' when it comes to being told about the possible implications of prenatal screening - tests which could lead them down a path where they have to make difficult decisions about their unborn child.
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