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Obstetrics & gynecology news

New stem cell models reveal how earliest human placenta structures take shape

The placenta is essential for a healthy pregnancy, but the earliest steps of its formation have been hidden from scientific view. Now Columbia researchers led by Mijo Simunovic have created lab-grown organoids that reconstruct ...

1 in 3 births are induced. It can be lifesaving, but it's also linked to more complications

Around one in three women in Australia now have their labors induced rather than having them start naturally, or spontaneously.

Q&A: How do infections get past the placenta's defenses?

For nine months, the placenta is the primary support system of the fetus, providing both nourishment and protection. Within hours of birth, it is usually discarded as medical waste. But this organ carries clues to the child's ...

Cervical cancer cases and deaths forecast to rise

Global cervical cancer cases and deaths could rise by 20.2% and 39.3%, respectively, by 2050, according to a modeling study published in Nature Medicine. The findings suggest that the burden of cervical cancer will remain ...

AI could help predict which HPV infections progress to cancer

For several decades, researchers have sought to identify biomarkers capable of accurately predicting the outcome of an infection with a high-risk oncogenic HPV type. Despite significant advances, no viral, immune-related ...

Ovaries remain active decades after menopause, study reveals

Contrary to popular belief, the postmenopausal ovary is not defunct. In a new study of ovaries from 28 women, scientists at Northwestern University and the Buck Institute for Research on Aging found that in the decades well ...

Placental protein may offer clues to early brain development

The placenta, the temporary organ that forms during pregnancy to carry oxygen and nutrients from mother to baby, is vital to healthy gestation, yet it remains understudied. While its function and purpose are well established, ...