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Sri Lanka’s low maternal mortality rate represents ‘success story’
In South Asia, where countries have often struggled with high maternal mortality rates, Sri Lanka stands out for its relatively low numbers of maternal deaths. In Sri Lanka, the maternal mortality ratio (MMR)—the number of maternal deaths per…
Vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy may raise child’s MS risk
Children of mothers who are low in vitamin D during early pregnancy may be at greater risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) in adulthood compared to children with mothers who have higher vitamin D levels, according to a…
Zika ‘unknowns’ hampering public health response
The mosquito-borne Zika virus now spreading rapidly in several countries in the southern hemisphere—and diagnosed in a reported dozen travelers who have returned to the United States—has been circumstantially linked to the dramatic rise of a severe birth…
Oral contraceptive use not associated with increased birth defects risk
For immediate release: January 6, 2016 Boston, MA – Oral contraceptives taken just before or during pregnancy do not increase the risk of birth defects, according to a new study by researchers from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health…
Mothers holding low birth weight newborns skin-to-skin linked with lower mortality rates
For immediate release: December 22, 2015 Boston, MA – Continuous skin-to-skin contact with their mothers during the first days of life may reduce low birth weight infant deaths by more than one-third compared to conventional care, according to a new…
Safe Childbirth Checklist could reduce maternal, newborn deaths
Based on four key times around childbirth when maternal and newborn deaths are most likely to occur, the World Health Organization (WHO) has developed an easy-to-use bedside tool—the Safe Childbirth Checklist—to help avoid health crises. The checklist was…
Childhood abuse linked to sleep disturbances in pregnancy
A history of childhood abuse is associated with increased odds of stress-related sleep disturbances for women during pregnancy, according to researchers from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and colleagues. The study is believed to be the…
A baby box aims to save infant and maternal lives
September 14, 2015 -- Under a new student-led nonprofit aimed at reducing infant and maternal mortality in South Asia, expectant mothers would receive a free box full of newborn essentials like baby clothes, diapers, and wipes, as well as health-related…
Pregnant women with epilepsy at increased risk of dying during childbirth
Pregnant women who have epilepsy appear to be at greater risk of dying during childbirth than women without the condition, even though the risk is small, according to a Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health study. “Specifically,…
Pregnant women with epilepsy at greater risk of death during childbirth
A new study by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health researchers found that women with epilepsy have a more than 10-fold higher risk of dying during their delivery hospitalization, and are at increased risk for preeclampsia and…