Pregnant Moms Who Smoke, Drink Put Babies at Risk of SIDS: Study

TUESDAY, Feb. 4, 2020 -- Pregnant women who smoke cigarettes and drink alcohol may put their babies at higher odds for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), a new government study finds.

After the first trimester of pregnancy, women who both smoked and drank increased the risk for SIDS nearly 12 times. For those who continued to smoke, SIDS risk rose fivefold, and for those who continued to drink, the risk was four times higher, researchers found.

Many Moms-to-Be Are Stressed, and it Might Affect Baby's Brain

THURSDAY, Jan. 30, 2020 -- Many mothers-to-be feel overwhelmed by stress, and it might have implications for their babies' brain development in the womb, a new study suggests.

The researchers found that even in a group of highly educated, healthy pregnant women, stress and anxiety were common. More than one-quarter reported higher-than-average levels of "perceived stress," while a similar number had anxiety symptoms. Another 11% had depression symptoms.

In Small Study, No Sign That Coronavirus Can Be Passed to Baby During Pregnancy

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 12, 2020 -- There's some good news about the new coronavirus: Preliminary research suggests that the virus cannot be transmitted from an infected pregnant woman to the fetus.

The researchers stressed that the study population was small -- just nine pregnant women -- and a number of other factors mean questions linger when it comes to maternal-fetal transmission.

Mom-to-Be's Cosmetics Chemicals Could Lead to Heavier Baby

TUESDAY, Feb. 11, 2020 -- When pregnant women use cosmetics containing parabens, their children may have a greater likelihood of becoming overweight, a new study suggests.

Parabens are chemicals that have long been used as a preservative in cosmetics and body care products. A number of studies have suggested that parabens mimic estrogens in the body and may disrupt the normal function of hormones.