Researchers from the UC Davis MIND Institute have linked untreated fever during a mother’s pregnancy with increased risk of autism or developmental delays in her child. In a large study including detailed information on participants, they found that women who reported fever had 2.12 times higher odds of having a child with autism and 2.5 times higher odds of having a child with developmental delay than women who reported no fever during pregnancy, or those who took anti-fever medication.
The study involved more than 1,100 women and their babies.
“If someone has fever during pregnancy they should take it seriously,” says lead study author Ousseny Zerbo, now a postdoctoral researcher with Kaiser Permanente, adding that this means taking over-the-counter anti-fever medication, and seeking medical attention if the fever persists. “Particularly during pregnancy, a lot of people don’t want to take any medication,” Zerbo says.
But treating fever also treats the acute inflammation that accompanies it, and this could be the connection between fever and autism risk. Another recent study based on the same data found that mothers who were obese or had diabetes – conditions associated with chronic inflammation in the body – were also more likely to have children with autism.
Both studies were based on data from the Childhood Autism Risk from Genetics and the Environment (CHARGE) study, which collected information on a large group of California children ages 2 to 5.
Infection with bacteria or viruses triggers a healing response that releases inflammatory elements from white blood cells into the bloodstream. Called cytokines, these elements are able to cross the placenta, and could impact a developing baby’s brain. “I think we need to do a lot more study regarding inflammation during pregnancy,” says Zerbo.
The study was published online May 23 in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.
Rates of both Cesarean section birth and child obesity have soared in recent decades, and it turns out that the way children are brought into the world could have a big impact on their weight. Kids born by c-section have a different composition of bacteria in their guts than children born vaginally do, and scientists theorize this might make c-section babies more likely to be obese.
Moms who struggle with diabetes, hypertension or obesity while pregnant are more likely to have children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) or developmental delays, a new study has revealed.
A new study finds that pharmacies often gave 17-year-olds wrong information about – and denied them access to – the emergency contraceptive sold under the brand name Plan B One Step. Meanwhile, doctors calling the same pharmacies got accurate facts.
It’s as easy as eating a bowl of cereal, and if all women of childbearing age did it, hundreds of California babies would be born healthy – rather than with defects of the brain and spinal cord that can cause serious disability or death.
Colds and flu can be especially miserable for women with a baby on the way. For many, it’s natural to grab an over-the-counter remedy for relief, but experts from a national pregnancy health information line advise slowing down.
Blood lead levels well below government safety standards – levels the CDC suggests could be found in 10%-25% of U.S. women of childbearing age – can raise a woman’s blood pressure during pregnancy, a study in this month’s edition of Environmental Health Perspectives 
When you’re going to have a baby, you want to take the best care of yourself and your home. But a common chemical thought to help keep dangerous bacteria at bay could be a danger in itself, according to a new study from the University of Florida.
So much of your body changes during pregnancy, and your feet are no exception. Relaxin, the hormone that allows your pelvis to open to carry and deliver your baby, makes the ligaments in the feet more flexible so that your foot becomes both wider and longer. They can grow up to half a shoe size.
Painful, swollen feet – 
