Category Archives: Birth Defects
Babies Born Late May Face Increased Cerebral Palsy Risk
According to a new study, late-term and preterm babies face a slightly greater risk of developing cerebral palsy than those born at term. That preterm babies face greater risks is well known but this is the first study to link cerebral palsy to infants born after 40 weeks of gestation. Researchers caution that the risks are very small and the data are not sufficient to recommend intervention. According to the study, published Sept. 1 in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the risk for infants born at 37 weeks developing cerebral palsy was 90 percent. At 38 weeks, the risk dropped to 30 percent. But at 42 weeks and later, the risk for cerebral palsy increased to 40 percent. The study looked at a group of infants who had no other birth defects. The report concluded that the causes for this are unclear and more research into late-term risks…
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Terbutaline linked to autism
Terbutaline is a generic version of the name-brand drugs Brethine and Bricanyl. It is commonly used "off label" to stop pre-term labor, prolong pregnancy and prevent premature birth. About 1 million women are treated with terbutaline and related drugs every year for this purpose. Terbutaline is actually an asthma drug and it’s use to control pre-term labor is highly controversial. Some medical professionals contend that the drug is dangerous while others say it is no more effective at prolonging labor than a placebo. The US Food and Drug Administration has not approved uses of terbutaline for anything other than controlling asthma. Several recent studies have raised concerns that the drug may have a profound, negative impact on an unborn baby’s brain development because it can cause overstimulation of certain brain activity. This overstimulation could lead to autism, particularly in twins. Further, the study’s findings suggest that exposure to drugs like…
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Infertility Treatments Tied to Higher Birth Defect Risk
The risk of birth defects seems to be twice as high in babies conceived via fertility treatment, versus babies conceived naturally, writes Reuters, citing French scientists. Researchers say physicians should warn potential parents of the risk of birth abnormalities when assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment is used. ART includes a variety of infertility treatment methods such as vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), said Reuters. “We found a major congenital malformation in 4.24 percent of the (ART) children,” said clinical geneticist Geraldine Viot, of the Maternity Port Royal hospital in Paris, quoted Reuters. Viot’s findings were presented to a conference of the European Society of Human Genetics in Stockholm. According to Viot, the incidence of malformation is twice the rate seen in the general population. Viot’s team surveyed 33 French fertility clinics and reviewed data from all ART births from 2003 to 2007 for a total of 15,162…
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