Obstetric Labor, Premature

THURSDAY, Jan. 2, 2025 -- Disease-modifying therapy (DMT) use for multiple sclerosis (MS) in pregnancy is associated with certain adverse outcomes, including small for gestational age, according to a study published in the January issue of The Lancet Regional Health: Europe . Nadine Bast, from Ruhr University Bochum in Germany, and colleagues conducted a prospective cohort study to examine pregnancy and neonatal outcomes in patients with MS. A total of 2,885 DMT-exposed and 837 DMT-unexposed pregnancies were compared. The researchers found that exposure to DMTs was not associated with spontaneous abortions, preterm birth, or major congenital anomalies. Severe infections were rare but occurred more often in those exposed to fumarates (2.8 percent versus 1.0 percent in unexposed). Associations were seen for second-trimester and third-trimester natalizumab exposure and anti-CD20 exposure with systemic antibiotic use (odds ratios, 2.47, 1.75, and 2.16, respectively). Significant reductions in birth weight were seen in the sphingosine-1-phosphate group and the third-trimester natalizumab subgroup (β = −132 and −74 g, respectively). The sphingosine-1-phospate and anti-CD20 groups often had small-for-gestational-age neonates (odds ratios, 1.65 and 1.54, respectively); in the entire cohort, the rate exceeded the general German population rate (18.8 versus 10 percent). "Our findings are critical to improve future pregnancy recommendations in women with MS seeking pregnancy by combining established and emerging evidence and increasing the number of reported pregnancies," the authors write. The study was funded by pharmaceutical companies; several authors disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical industry. Abstract/Full Text Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.

MONDAY, Dec. 23, 2024 -- Moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) during pregnancy is inversely associated with preterm birth in women with gestational diabetes (GD), according to a study published online Dec. 19 in JAMA Network Open . Wanglong Gou, Ph.D., from Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine in China, and colleagues examined the association of accelerometer-derived physical activity metrics and patterns with preterm birth among women with GD. The analysis included 1,427 women with GD with wearable accelerometer-derived physical activity data. The researchers found an inverse relationship between an increase in MVPA and the fraction of physical activity energy expenditure derived from MVPA with preterm birth (odds ratio per 30 minutes, 0.64 and 0.69, respectively). There was a progressive decrease in the odds of preterm birth with increasing duration of MVPA per day, which reached a plateau at 74 minutes per day. The benefit was similar whether active MVPA (≥30 minutes per day) was concentrated into a few days or followed a more regular pattern. "These findings provide key evidence for the health benefits of MVPA during pregnancy and lay the foundation for establishing physical activity guidelines for pregnant women with GD," the authors write. Abstract/Full Text Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.

The UNITY Prenatal Test Expands Access to Maternal Care in Remote Communities, Reducing Travel Burdens for High-Risk Pregnancies MENLO PARK, Calif., Dec. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Precision diagnostics company BillionToOne is addressing the longstanding challenges pregnant women face in remote areas. The company's UNITY Non-Invasive Prenatal Test (NIPT) for fetal antigens was recently adopted by Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM) doctors in states with maternity health deserts, dramatically improving care for expectant mothers where care is less easily accessible. UNITY Fetal Antigen NIPT is available for patients who are alloimmunized to certain antigens. If the genetic variation associated with the presence of the antigen is detected, the patient will have an increased risk for hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN). HDFN is a blood disorder in which a baby's red blood cells break down rapidly and can be very severe. This screening method has significantly reduced the need for patients to make frequent, lengthy journeys for follow-up care, effectively bringing high-quality maternal healthcare closer to home. "This advanced screening technology is revolutionizing how we care for expectant mothers in our rural communities," said Dr. Peter Van Eerden, Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specialist at Sanford Clinic in North Dakota. "With UNITY, we're able to provide vital care to patients who previously had to travel hundreds of miles for weekly check-ups, improving access to timely interventions if needed." The impact of the UNITY test is particularly significant in regions where MFM providers are scarce, including North Dakota and northern Minnesota. Previously, patients in maternity health deserts requiring MFM care often had to travel between 3 to 5 hours one way to reach clinics in cities like Bismarck, Fargo, or Bemidji. For many, this meant regular travel to visit doctors, or waiting for monthly satellite clinic visits, options that are not ideal for high-risk pregnancies that require frequent monitoring. Many clinics in rural areas also lack the specialized equipment and trained personnel needed for weekly Doppler ultrasounds, which were the standard of care before the UNITY Fetal Antigen NIPT became available. UNITY has effectively bridged this gap, allowing for more comprehensive care without the need for specialized on-site equipment. "One of our main goals for the UNITY Fetal Antigen NIPT is to democratize access to high-quality maternal care," said Jennifer Hoskovec, MS, Certified Genetic Counselor and VP of Medical Affairs at BillionToOne. "Seeing how our technology is making such a profound difference in rural communities is incredibly rewarding, and it truly reflects the broader impact we aim to achieve at BillionToOne of improving maternal health outcomes, regardless of geography." According to a recent report from March of Dimes, over 35% of U.S. counties are classified as maternity care deserts, lacking any birthing facilities or obstetric providers. This crisis affects over 2.3 million women of reproductive age and impacts approximately 150,000 births annually. Women in these areas often experience poorer pre-pregnancy health, receive less prenatal care, and face higher rates of preterm birth – between 2020 and 2022, there were over 10,000 excess preterm births in maternity care deserts and limited access counties. BillionToOne's prenatal screening technology represents a significant step towards addressing these alarming disparities – the company has provided tests to over 500K patients to date. By increasing access to high-quality prenatal care, BillionToOne is improving outcomes for patients who have long faced substantial barriers to receiving essential medical care. About BillionToOne Headquartered in Menlo Park, California, BillionToOne is a precision diagnostics company on a mission to make molecular diagnostics more accurate, efficient, and accessible for all. The company's patented Quantitative Counting Templates™ (QCT™) molecular counting platform is the only multiplex technology that can accurately count DNA molecules at the single-molecule level. For more information, please visit Media Contact: [email protected] SOURCE BillionToOne WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM? 440k+ Newsrooms & Influencers 9k+ Digital Media Outlets 270k+ Journalists Opted In GET STARTED