birth defects

Hormones in birth control pills appear to be pose little risk to human embryos in the womb.

Health & Safety

Study Finds Birth Control Pill Use Isn't Associated With Birth Defects

6:31pm January 06, 2016

by Katherine Hobson

Even women who continued to used the pill during the first few months of pregnancy saw no increase in major birth defects, according to data gleaned from Danish registries.

The FDA worries that the same alkaline treatment that gives corn masa its distinctive aroma and flavor might also prevent folic acid from remaining stable in masa. The agency is currently reviewing test results looking at the question of stability.

Why Tortillas May Hold The Key To Healthier Babies

7:09pm January 04, 2016

by Veronica Zaragovia

In the U.S., pastas and breads come with a dose of folic acid, a B vitamin that prevents severe neural tube birth defects. But it's not allowed in corn masa, a staple for Hispanic women.

Health inspectors collect samples of mosquito larvae from standing water in a garden in a middle-class neighborhood in the north of Rio de Janeiro. They are searching for places where the Aedes aegypti mosquito breeds — that's the one that carries Zika

Health & Safety

Why Brazil Doesn't Want Women In The Northeast To Become Pregnant

8:03pm December 11, 2015

by Lourdes Garcia-Navarro

In Brazil, health authorities suspect the mosquito-borne Zika virus is tied to a severe birth defect. They've urged women in certain regions to avoid getting pregnant.

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Omar looks through Kai's photo book. The charges for the infant's six months of care in the neonatal intensive care unit totaled about $11 million, according to the family, though their insurer very likely negotiated a lower rate.

An Ill Newborn, A Loving Family And A Litany Of Wrenching Choices

6:01pm November 13, 2015

by Jenny Gold

As families consider how far to push an infant's medical care, a chasm can open between the parents' hopes and what doctors and nurses consider realistic. How do you measure a baby's quality of life?

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Dr. Frances O. Kelsey of the U.S. FDA, who is credited with keeping the birth-deforming drug, Thalidomide, off the U.S. market, is shown in an Aug. 1962 photo. Kelsey died on Friday at age 101.

Frances Kelsey, FDA Officer Who Blocked Thalidomide, Dies At 101

1:45pm August 08, 2015

by Scott Neuman

The physician and pharmacologist worked at the government agency in the early 1960s, when she uncovered a link between the drug and severe birth defects.

Solid information on the risks of medications during pregnancy is often hard to come by.

Some Antidepressants May Pose Increased Risk Of Birth Defects

2:09pm July 09, 2015

by Patti Neighmond

Some antidepressants may be riskier than others when used during pregnancy. A study found the most widely used antidepressant, sertraline, wasn't associated with birth defects.

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Ultrasound is often used for prenatal screening. It's just one of several prenatal screenings available to pregnant women.

DNA Blood Test Gives Women A New Option For Prenatal Screening

7:30pm February 24, 2015

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

A simple blood test can analyze bits of fetal DNA leaked in the mother's bloodstream. It's less risky than invasive alternatives like amniocentesis, but it doesn't tell as much about fetal health.

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Jake and Natalie Peterson and their son Garrett in October 2014.

Baby Thrives Once 3-D-Printed Windpipe Helps Him Breathe

4:20pm December 23, 2014

by Rob Stein

Michigan doctors used 3-D printing to custom-make a splint to prop open Garrett Peterson's defective windpipe last January. He's home with his parents this Christmas, as "normal life" begins.

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