The deleterious effects of prenatal alcohol exposure have been the subject of numerous research studies since first recognized in the early 1970s. The results of these studies have indicated that the dose and patterning of maternal alcohol consumption, use of other drugs, as well as other social and environmental factors may mediate developmental outcomes in prenatally alcohol-exposed children. Although there are still many unanswered questions regarding etiology, there is a clearly identified need for effective prevention/intervention programs for alcohol-abusing women of childbearing age. Such programs must address the multiple factors that may exacerbate alcohol's teratogenic effects. The prevention of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) and other alcohol-related birth defects (ARBD) can only be accomplished through multilevel, multisystem intervention strategies, including community education, therapeutic interventions with the alcohol-abusing mother, parenting education, and early identification and intervention with the alcohol-affected child. A review on the etiology of FAS and ARBD is presented with recommended strategies for prevention/intervention.
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FASEB J
January 2025
Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Health, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, New Jersey, USA.
At the maternal-fetal interface, tightly regulated levels of retinoic acid (RA), the physiologically active metabolite of vitamin A, are required for embryo implantation and pregnancy success. Herein, we utilize mouse models, primary human cells, and pharmacological tools to demonstrate how depletion of RA signaling via RA receptor (RAR) disrupts implantation and progression of early pregnancy. To inhibit RAR signaling during early pregnancy, BMS493, an inverse pan-RAR agonist that prevents RA-induced differentiation, was administered to pregnant mice during the peri-implantation period.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPLoS One
January 2025
National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.
Introduction: Smokeless tobacco use is a growing public health concern, with potential adverse implications for foetal outcomes if consumed during pregnancy. Birth weight is an important predictive measure for health outcomes of a child throughout their lifespan. Despite extensive literature, it is unclear whether smokeless tobacco consumption during pregnancy has an adverse effect on birth weight.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPediatr Infect Dis J
November 2024
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD.
Background: Following maternal COVID-19 vaccination, the persistence of antibodies in sera and breast milk for mothers and infants is not well characterized. We sought to describe the persistence of antibodies through 2 months after delivery in maternal and infant serum and breast milk following maternal COVID-19 mRNA vaccination and to examine differences by receipt of booster dose during pregnancy or postpartum.
Methods: This is a prospective cohort study with enrollment from July 2021 to January 2022 at 9 US academic sites.
PLoS One
January 2025
Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Major Obstetric Diseases, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a prevalent cause of vaginal symptoms in women of reproductive age. With the widespread of heavy metal pollutants and their harmful function on women's immune and hormonal systems, it is necessary to explore the association between heavy metal exposure and BV. This study investigates the potential relationship between serum heavy metals and bacterial vaginosis in a cohort of American women.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCurr Opin Obstet Gynecol
December 2024
University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
Purpose Of Review: Despite the availability of Rh(D) immune globulin (RhIg) to prevent alloimmunization in Rh(D)-negative pregnant patients, anti-Rh(D) alloimmunization remains a prevalent cause of hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN). Recent RhIg shortages have caused clinicians and professional societies to identify methods to prioritize RhIg administration. New cell-free DNA (cfDNA) tests to predict fetal red blood cell antigen genotypes have been proposed as an option to prioritize the administration of RhIg to Rh(D)-negative pregnant people.
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