We are all familiar with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). When alcohol from the mother’s blood passes to a fetus through the umbilical cord, it reaches the fetus’s brain, inhibiting development. FAS impacts from 0.2 to 1.2 infants in every 1,000 births, causing learning disabilities, kidney and liver problems, and abnormal facial features. FAS is life… Continue reading Opioid use during pregnancy: What effects does it have and how can we stop it?
Tag: pregnancy
What’s that? Semi-identical twins?
We know about identical twins; most of us have a fascination with people who look exactly the same. We know about fraternal twins– they share the same womb but they only resemble each other as much as normal siblings. But now, we’re learning about a new, extremely rare type of twins: semi-identical. First, let’s review… Continue reading What’s that? Semi-identical twins?
A new finger-prick test for the Cat Poop Parasite
Whenever a woman becomes pregnant, she receives unusual advice: don’t change cat litter. While cat litter may seem relatively innocuous (well, except for the gross factor), it poses a real danger to a developing fetus. Hiding in cat poop are the eggs of a parasite, Toxoplasma gondii. This parasite is usually not a problem for… Continue reading A new finger-prick test for the Cat Poop Parasite
Science On Tap 