During human pregnancy, the maternal immune system develops and changes, providing protection for the growing placenta and fetus. These protective changes provide mechanisms allowing two genetically ...

If the development of blood vessels in the placenta is impaired, fetal growth retardation may result. Scientists from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and the Mannheim Medical Faculty of ...

For most people, the placenta is simply viewed as a temporary organ that supports a baby during pregnancy and is discarded after delivery. However, modern medicine has begun to recognize that the ...

With pre-eclampsia, blood pressure rises, and placental blood flow is reduced during pregnancy. The proper functioning of oestrogen and other hormones is essential to support maternal and placental ...

The placenta, critical for healthy embryo development, is a multi- purpose organ with a precise lifespan—the length of a pregnancy. New research from the Stowers Institute for Medical Research ...

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of nearly 10,000 long-lasting chemical compounds that stay in the environment and have been linked to adverse health effects on humans, including ...

Gestational diabetes can cause a multitude of complications in the offspring, but to date, the reasons are incompletely understood. A new study, exploring a foundational step in the process of ...

Wallabies are kicking over scientific conventions surrounding mammalian placentas, the organ responsible for protecting and nourishing a developing fetus. A study1 finds that contrary to what ...

The processes involved in placental development are highly regulated to ensure normal growth of the developing fetal tissues and the maintenance of a healthy pregnancy. A unique function of the ...