HealthNews.in

Results from ALSPAC show that iodine deficiency in pregnancy is associated with an adverse effect on child cognitive development.

Children of mothers who showed iodine deficiency during early pregnancy were more likely to have scores in the lowest quartile for verbal IQ, reading accuracy, and reading comprehension.

As a component of thyroid hormones, iodine is essential for fetal brain development.

A small study of 23 pregnant women found that babies of obese mothers have thicker artery walls.

Commenting on the research, the British Heart Foundation said,

These results could suggest a direct link between a mother’s weight during pregnancy and her child’s risk of cardiovascular disease.

However, this was a very small study of just 23 women and we would need to see research on a much larger scale to make any firm conclusions. Also, since the babies were only examined at one week old, we don’t know what these findings may mean for their heart health as their life continues.

A large study has found that caffeine intake is associated with decreased birth weight, and that coffee consumption was associated with marginally increased gestational length.

The research was based on the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study and included more than 59000 women. The main caffeine source was coffee, but tea and chocolate were the main sources in women with low caffeine intake.

Even caffeine consumption below the currently recommended maximum (200mg/day) was associated with an increased risk of the fetus being small for gestational age. Caffeine passes the placental barrier; the fetus does not express the main enzymes that inactivate it, and caffeine metabolites have been found to accumulate in the fetal brain.

Researchers studying the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 found that elevated blood pressure during pregnancy, regardless of type and even without known risk factors, signals high risk of later cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, and diabetes.

Clinical monitoring, risk factor evaluation, and early intervention could benefit women with hypertension in pregnancy.

Canadian scientists used new high-throughput gene sequencing technology to
characterize the gut microbiota of 24 healthy infants from the CHILD birth cohort.

DNA sequencing allowed bacteria that are difficult to culture to be included in the survey. There were significant differences in bacterial species between infants, especially those who were formula-fed or born by cesarean delivery. Although any antibiotic use was recorded for most patients, the small sample size made it difficult to investigate how antibiotics may have influenced the differences observed.

A large international study found that exposure to pollution is associated with low birth weight.

Maternal exposure to particulate pollution was associated with low birth weight at term across 3 million births in 9 countries.

Nature’s article on the research provides background and quotes.

Women with severe morning sickness (hyperemesis gravidarum) in second trimester of pregnancy were found to be more likely to suffer placental complications.

Hyperemesis gravidarum occurs in 0.5-3% of pregnancies and is generally defined as severe illness or vomiting before 22 weeks gestation, usually requiring hospitalization for intravenous fluid. The condition is caused by high levels of human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG), the pregnancy hormone, and a woman’s sensitivity to it.