Aurora magazine

The pre-term birth is today the leading cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity in Italy. Only in our country affects about 8% of pregnancies. Given the danger of the condition, the Italian College of Fetal Maternal Medicine team created a prenatal test to predict the risk.

The general manager Claudio Giorlandino explains that in most cases there are predisposing conditions. Some of these are twin pregnancies, high maternal age, current infections, the presence of uterine malformations. In half of the cases, however, there is nothing to suggest the premature birth. As a result, it is difficult for mum and gynecologist to be ready for a birth before the 37th week.

The pre-term delivery exposes the child to a series of both physical and neurological complications. The more the baby is premature, the complications are worse. In the case of childbirth between the 22nd and 28th week, the conditions can be so serious as to lead to the baby's death. There could however be a solution to identify these cases: a special prenatal screening test.

Numerous international studies have identified the causes of premature birth in some genetic variants of the mother. The test then starts with a sample of maternal blood. Physicians perform genetic analyzes and verify the presence or absence of the polymorphisms in question. If the test is successful, they elaborate a specific therapeutic path for the situation.

To reduce the risk of pre-term delivery, there are many alternatives. In some cases it is enough to simply rest, in others it is necessary to use a surgical approach and to look for the uterine neck. Everything depends on the mother and the child: the important thing is to know as soon as possible if and when it is necessary to act.

Source: ansa.it

Premenstrual syndrome causes symptoms in many ways similar to those of pregnancy. Both cause humoral changes, a sore breast, cramps in the lower abdomen. It therefore happens that some women struggle to distinguish the two conditions. How does a woman understand if she is pregnant or about to have a cycle?

The common symptoms between premenstrual syndrome and pregnancy are:

• irritability, anxiety, sadness with crying;
• constipation;
• sore breasts.

Humoral changes usually disappear once menstruation begins. However, if they persist and menstruation does not arrive, it is likely that there is a gestation in progress. The presence of menstruation and the persistence of sadness could instead be a symptom of depression. If the behavioral symptoms persist for at least two weeks, it is best to contact a doctor.

Constipation is another problem related to both pregnancy and premenstrual syndrome. According to the researchers, the problem afflicts about 38% of future mothers in the first two quarters. Hormonal changes linked to the cycle can have similar effects, but they disappear when menstruation begins. Hormonal changes are also the cause of the breast pains of both conditions.

Instead, there are symptoms that occur during gestation and not during PMS. In particular, they are:

• no menstruation;
• nausea;
• changes in the nipples.

The symptom of gestation par excellence is the menstruation that they jump. Nevertheless, they are just one of the signs of a pregnancy at the beginning. The changes in the menstrual cycle can in fact be linked to too low or too high weight, stress, polycystic ovary, thyroid disorders, menopause. Likewise, morning sicknesses are a classic disorder in the first quarter but also linked to other problems.

Changes in the nipples are perhaps one of the clearest signs of pregnancy in progress. There are rarely changes in color or size before menstruation. As a result, if the areola becomes larger or dark and bleeding does not occur, conception is likely to have occurred.

Source: medicalnewstoday.com

A device as big as a coin could make it easier to conceive. The invention comes from the University of Southampton and is aimed at couples with fertility problems. The tiny implant serves to collect data on pH and temperature of the uterus. In this way, it is easier to diagnose infertility problems and find the best time to conceive.

3.5 million people in the UK have problems conceiving. Infertility can affect both men and women and has many causes. In about 1 in 4 cases, however, doctors are unable to identify them and they talk about "unexplained infertility". How to deal with such cases? Professor Ying Cheong and his team responded by creating the new device in question.

The study behind the creation of the device aims to identify the best environment for embryonic development. Researchers are investigating the ideal levels in the uterus and the implant will be used to measure them.

The new device should be implanted as a contraceptive spiral and should remain stable for a week. In this time frame, send data to a microchip attached to a special set of underwear. After seven days, the doctors remove the device and analyze the data. Thanks to the information gathered from within, it is easier to identify infertility problems and find a solution.

The implant could be an alternative for couples who can not afford in vitro fertilization. The next step will therefore be a test on 30 women who are trying to conceive. The objective will be to verify the safety, efficacy and comfort of the device.

Source: independent.co.uk

Eating fish during pregnancy helps stimulate the development of your child's brain. This is stated by a study led by Dr. Kirsi Laitinen of the University of Turku, in Finland. The research confirms a long list of previous studies linking child development and maternal nutrition.

According to Dr. Laitinen, eating a lot of fish during pregnancy provides a supply of fatty acids to the fetus. The substance stimulates brain growth both in the womb and in the first year of life. In fact, fatty acids help the development of nerve cells in the retina and synapses. As a result, neurons are better connected to each other and messages travel faster in the nervous system.

The researchers examined data from 56 women and their children, who had participated in a larger study. The women had kept a food diary during the gestation period. They had noted the fluctuations in weight, blood sugar levels and pressure. Furthermore, they had marked the possible presence of gestational diabetes and smoking.

The team recorded levels of fatty acids in the diet and blood of future mothers and their babies. For the latter, they analyzed levels at the age of one month and two years. On that occasion, they also assessed the visual system and cognitive abilities. The best results came from children whose mothers ate fish three times a week, especially in the last quarter.

Source: springer.com