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Why is iodine and thyriod health important, especially in pregnancy?

The easiest way to make the world smarter How a poisonous element and a shiny rock created an accidental public health miracle. But will it last?Huge thanks to America’s Test Kitchen for somehow agre...

Pregnant women's brains shed grey matter to prime them for motherhood, study suggests.

Pregnant women's brains shed grey matter to prime them for motherhood, study suggests It is time to move beyond the “baby brain” cliche, say scientists who scanned dozens of women’s brains.

The Maternal Mind

Women’s brains lose nearly 5% of their gray matter on average during pregnancy, according to the largest-ever study of pregnancy-related brain changes published yesterday. Researchers say the change—which is partially reversible after six months—may be preparing women for motherhood.

Brain scans from 127 women before, during, and after pregnancy revealed that most of the gray matter loss occurs in a brain network associated with self-reflection, empathy, and rest. Women who shed more gray matter were more likely to report bonding well with their newborns, suggesting an evolutionary adaptation to childbirth. The study authors hope their findings will contribute to a detailed map of how the brain transitions into motherhood, which could help treat conditions like postpartum depression and improve attachment between infants and caregivers.

Another study published last month found that women pregnant with a second child experience unique changes in brain networks tied to paying attention and responding to stimuli, skills useful when caring for multiple children.

Changes in the brain of women during a second pregnancy | Amsterdam UMC A second pregnancy changes women's brains in the same way as a first pregnancy, but in a different way than the first time. This is according to researchers from Amsterdam UMC, published in the scientific journal Nature Communications. The findings of Elseline Hoekzema and her colleagues show that a...

Transfer Protocols for Out-of-Hospital Birth
Position Statement

December 10, 2025

While the majority of births in the United States take place in a hospital or accredited birth center setting, there are patients who prefer to give birth outside the hospital and who prefer a non-physician birth attendant. Rates of planned out-of-hospital birth are expected to continue to rise.1 There has also been an alarming increase in labor and delivery unit closures in recent years, putting access to a nearby delivery hospital out of reach for a growing number of patients. More than 100 rural hospitals closed their labor and delivery units since 2020, impacting the majority of states.2 Over half of rural hospitals in the United States do not offer labor and delivery services.3

ACOG believes that hospitals and birth centers that are both licensed and accredited are the safest settings for birth, while also recognizing that each patient has the right to make a medically informed decision about delivery.4 Research supports that an integrated maternity care system with risk-appropriate care contributes to reducing maternal morbidity and mortality, including inequities in outcomes.5,6

An estimated 10–25% of planned out-of-hospital births involve intrapartum or postpartum transfer of care to a hospital for neonatal or maternal health needs.7,8 Protocols for safe and timely intrapartum transfer of the laboring patient should be in place for all patients planning to give birth outside the hospital setting, regardless of apparent obstetric or neonatal risk factors during pregnancy and onset of labor.9,10 In 2024, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, or CMS, finalized updated Conditions of Participation for all hospitals that receive Medicare and Medicaid funding, regardless of the presence of labor and delivery units. Effective July 1, 2025, hospitals must have written policies and procedures for the transfer of patients to the appropriate level of care.11 ACOG further recommends that hospitals establish transfer protocols in collaboration with the receiving hospitals.

In advancement of ACOG’s goal to achieve optimal maternal and neonatal health outcomes regardless of intended place of birth, ACOG:

Supports policies that encourage out-of-hospital birth attendants, as well as all non-birthing facilities, to establish a relationship with a hospital with a labor and delivery unit that is prepared to accept a transfer if a higher level of care for a laboring or postpartum patient is needed
Recommends each out-of-hospital birth attendant have written transfer protocol agreements that are mutually agreed upon with the hospital(s) who would be receiving patients in the event of need for transfer
Supports policies that require clear communication by out-of-hospital birth attendants to their patients regarding transfer protocols, including prevalence, logistics, limitations, and scenarios in which a transfer may occur, to foster shared decision-making regarding risks and benefits
Encourages institutions with labor and delivery units to establish mutually respectful and collaborative relationships with out-of-hospital birth attendants in their community to construct patient-centered transfer protocols, education, and simulation to optimize quality and safety of birth in their region of practice
Supports the exploration of creative solutions to foster increased collaboration with out-of-hospital birth attendants, including development of a decision aid or other patient-centered tools to support shared decision-making and foster safe and timely transfer of intrapartum and postpartum patients.

https://www.acog.org/clinical-information/policy-and-position-statements/position-statements/2025/transfer-protocols-for-out-of-hospital-birth?fbclid=IwQ0xDSwPUg8RjbGNrA9SDumV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHgAufZLI14ja7CoJv0G4n3aP8Hg4BgDK9U_KFBSyYcCBYx9viLA7KU7DPlzO_aem_TGCBDL_Gm4GglMG8txlZGw #:~:text=An%20estimated%2010%E2%80%9325%25%20of

Transfer Protocols for Out-of-Hospital Birth Research supports that an integrated maternity care system with risk-appropriate care contributes to reducing maternal morbidity and mortality, including inequities in outcomes.

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Amniotomy and Cord Prolapse by Judy Slome Cohain
Rate of cord prolapse directly increases with increasing rates of amniotomy. Where amniotomy is never practiced and vaginal exams are extremely restricted, no cord prolapse is reported. Rates of 3–4/1000 cord prolapses were reported with 26–89% rates of amniotomy (Dilbaz 2006; Uygur 2002). In a study of inductions, which usually include amniotomy, a 7/1000 rate of cord prolapse was reported.
https://f.mtr.cool/jjgqxchdds

The standard method for closing the uterus after cesarean delivery, used for over 50 years, may be causing a host of long-term health issues for millions of women.

According to Dr. Emmanuel Bujold and Dr. Roberto Romero, leaders in obstetrics and gynecology, current closure practices—where sutures join the uterine lining with surrounding muscle—fail to restore the uterus’s natural structure, leading to serious complications.

Their exhaustive review reveals the risks: abnormal placenta attachment affects up to 6% of women, uterine rupture up to 3%, and premature births up to 28%. Many suffer pelvic pain (up to 35%), excessive bleeding (up to 33%), and endometriosis or adenomyosis (up to 43%). Such complications are linked directly to the scarring produced by the conventional closure method.

Bujold and Romero propose a nuanced technique: suturing tissues only of the same type, carefully reconstructing the muscle layer while leaving the uterine lining untouched for natural regeneration. Although this new method takes 5–8 minutes—twice as long as the traditional approach—the additional blood loss is minimal and outweighed by better outcomes for future reproductive health.

With cesarean rates rising globally, especially in countries like Canada where 27% of births are by C-section, prioritizing meticulous uterine repair is a critical public health concern. This shift in surgical thinking may help millions experience safer subsequent pregnancies and better long-term well-being.

Follow Science Sphere for regular scientific updates

📄 RESEARCH PAPER

📌 Emmanuel Bujold et al, "Uterine closure after cesarean delivery: surgical principles, biological rationale, and clinical implications", American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology (2025)

🤰🏼A major new genetic study has revealed why children of older fathers face higher risks of inherited diseases.

Researchers at the Wellcome Sanger Institute found that as men age, a growing number of “selfish” s***m stem cells outcompete their healthy counterparts—causing disease-causing mutations to multiply rapidly rather than gradually.

By sequencing over 100,000 s***m cells from 81 men aged 20 to 70, scientists discovered that while men in their early 30s had about 1 in 50 s***m carrying harmful mutations, that figure rose to nearly 1 in 20 by age 70. These mutations occur in at least 40 genes that make s***m stem cells divide faster, creating more mutated s***m as men get older.

Unlike random genetic errors, these “selfish mutations” boost cell growth in the te**es, but at a cost: they’re linked to serious neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism, and even certain cancers.

The study also found that s***m accumulate mutations much more slowly than other cells in the body and seem shielded from environmental factors like smoking or alcohol. Still, the exponential rise in selfish mutations with age suggests that paternal age plays a far greater role in offspring health than previously recognized.

Experts now urge that both men and women consider age when planning families—since older fathers, not just older mothers, contribute significantly to genetic risks passed to future generations.

Follow Science Sphere for regular scientific updates

📄 RESEARCH PAPER
📌 Neville, M.D.C., Lawson, A.R.J., Sanghvi, R. et al. S***m sequencing reveals extensive positive selection in the male germline. Nature (2025).