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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
Maternal health better basis for baby growth standards
According to a growing body of evidence by Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) researchers and others, charts measuring babies’ healthy development are more effective as a diagnostic tool if they are based on the health of mothers,…
Boosting comprehensive women’s health care in Sub-Saharan Africa
December 1, 2014 -- To stem the spread of HIV among women in Sub-Saharan Africa and to boost their overall health and the health of their families, it’s crucial to improve not just HIV care but also reproductive…
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