Trophoblasts, collected from the mother during a blood draw, can determine fetal genetic abnormalities currently diagnosed through amniocentesis or chorionic villi sampling.
Physical activity, independent of diet, shifts the composition of bacteria in the intestines, spurring researchers to search for species that might provide benefits akin to working out.
A small study based on circulating RNA in the blood of moms-to-be describes a technique that could be used to help predict who’s most at risk of preterm labor.
Alterations in the commensal gut flora of expecting women may be linked to characteristic weight gain and decreases in insulin sensitivity during pregnancy.