Fish-rich diets may boost brain development in babies

According to a new research, slightly adjusting the diet of healthy pregnant women could be beneficial for their babies.

BS| Women could enhance the development of their unborn child’s eyesight and brain function by regularly eating fatty fish during pregnancy. The research supports previous findings that show how important a prospective mother’s diet and lifestyle choices are for the development of her baby.

According to study author Kirsi Laitinen, a mother’s diet during pregnancy and breastfeeding is the main way that valuable long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids become available to a fetus and infant brain during the period of maximum brain growth. Such fatty acids help to shape the nerve cells that are relevant to eyesight and particularly the retina. They are also important in forming the synapses that are vital for the transport of messages between neurons in the nervous system.

In this study, researchers analyzed the results of 56 mothers and their children. The mothers had to keep a regular food diary during the course of their pregnancy. Fluctuations in their weight before and during pregnancy were taken into account, along with their blood sugar level and blood pressure. Aspects such as whether they smoked or developed diabetes related to pregnancy were also noted.

The team recorded the levels of nutritional long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid sources in the mother’s diet and blood serum, and the levels in the blood of their children by the age of one month.

Their children were further tested around their second birthday using pattern reversal visual evoked potentials (pVEP). This sensitive and accurate, non-invasive method is used to detect visual functioning and maturational changes occurring within a young child’s visual system.

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Uterine defects during menarche cause fertility problems

Turns out, uterine defects or the problems related to uterus affects the chances of a woman to conceive or carry the fetus to term.




Mullerian Anomalies referred to as the defects associated with abnormal development of the uterus or the fallopian tube accounts to infertility in around 10% of the female trying to conceive.

IVF expert, Dr Arvind Vaid explained that uterine anomalies, a condition where the structure and contour of the uterus differ from normal, is the main cause of infertility. He said, "Studies show that one in every 20 women seeking IVF treatment to conceive is affected by uterine anomalies. Though such uterine abnormalities are not directly linked to infertility many a times the condition is misunderstood until recurrent miscarriages occur. Timely intervention can help prevent miscarriages and help treat the condition to have a healthy course of pregnancy."

Sometimes infertility is attributed to congenital anomalies where defects in the uterus start occurring during the fetal development (birth defects) of the uterus. The abnormalities can vary, ranging from the absence or even duplication of the uterus, cervix, and vagina.

Agenesis, a condition where there is the absence of the vagina or uterus or both, is usually diagnosed during a missing menarche. The condition can be treated with surgery. Surrogacy may be the only way for women with agenesis to have a baby.


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Assault during pregnancy may result in pre-term babies

Turns out, physical assault during pregnancy, especially in the third trimester, can significantly increase the rates of babies born at very low birth weights.

According to a study published by researchers at Princeton University, Stanford University and the University of Michigan, assault during pregnancy can lead to low birth weight and pre-term babies.

The researchers merged birth records with the locations of reported assault crimes reported by the New York City Police Department, which responded to almost 200,000 domestic violence incidents in 2017.

To understand the toll of violence on pregnancy, they compared women assaulted during pregnancy with women who reported assault after giving birth.

They found that babies born to mothers assaulted during pregnancy were 66 percent more likely to be low birth weight and 39 percent more likely to be born pre-term compared to babies born to mothers who reported being assaulted after giving birth.

Study co-author Janet M. Currie said, “While assault of post-partum women is equally horrifying, our intent is to highlight the toll of violence during pregnancy on children as well as mothers. Pregnancy offers a window for possible intervention given that pregnant women see caregivers frequently.”

The researchers performed what they called a “back-of-the-envelope” calculation to estimate the average social cost generated by assault during pregnancy…READ MORE