Cholesterol Medication Linked to Birth Defects
For pregnant women or those considering becoming pregnant there is yet another group of drugs to add the list of one’s that can be potentially harmful to the growth of the fetus: cholesterol-lowering medications called statins. Researchers at the U.S. National Institute of Health found that the use of these prescription medications during the first trimester is associated with severe central nervous system defects and limb abnormalities. “We can’t tell whether the defects were caused by the use of statin medications, but other birth defect studies suggest that these are the kinds of problems that occur if the embryo does not get enough cholesterol in early pregnancy to develop normally,” said one of the study’s authors, Dr. Maximilian Muenke, a senior investigator and chief of the medical genetics branch at the National Human Genome Research Institute in Bethesda, Md. Dr Nancy Green, medical director for the March of Dimes, said the real problem is the lack of knowledge around the danger of the medications. “Statins are very good for general health. But there’s a lot we don’t know about their safety in pregnancy because there is no national system for monitoring the safety of drugs during pregnancy,” Green noted. “This report is worrisome.” She also said the problem lies in the fact that most pregnancies are unplanned, causing many women to practice potentially harmful habits before they know they are pregnant. The report advised that any woman taking the medications should immediately advise her physician upon discovering she is pregnant. Source: DailyTimes.com.pk
January 16, 2007
Uterus Transplant May Offer Hope for Pregnancy
A New York Hospital has temporarily approved plans to offer transplants for women who have had their uterus removed but are wishing to become pregnant. However, they said much more research is needed before any actual transplants will be approved. The hospital conducted a six-month trial in which they discovered that it is possible to obtain uteruses from organ donors, and is now screening potential candidates for transplants. "If this is a passionate desire for a woman who's had surgical removal of a uterus, I would think this would be something she'd really want to pursue," although the risks would have to be carefully weighed, said Julia Rowland, director of the National Cancer Institute's Office of Cancer Survivorship. If the transplant does become available, it would only be offered to women whose eggs could be frozen, so as to alleviate any fertility issues that might complicate her ability to get pregnant. The cost of the procedure is unknown but some researchers estimate it could top $500,000, including two weeks of hospitalization. However, it is expectsed any cost will be shared by the hospital, charities that support infertility research, the patient, and insurers who cover the embryo creation part. Source: Salon.com
January 15, 2007
Doctors Gain Insight Into Cause of Miscarriage
Researchers at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center have released a new study linking a cancer-related gene to the development of the placenta – the organ that regulates nutrient and oxygen exchange between a mother and her fetus during pregnancy, and perhaps in miscarriages. "Our findings strongly suggest that the [cancer-related] gene is important in the development of the placenta, but they have other important implications, as well," says principal investigator Gustavo Leone, assistant professor of molecular virology, immunology and medical genetics and a researcher with Ohio State's Comprehensive Cancer Center and human cancer genetics program. "People born with one mutated [cancer-related] gene have a higher risk of developing retinoblastoma. But are they also predisposed to miscarriage? Do [cancer-related] defects in the placenta cause learning or physical abnormalities? We are investigating these questions now." Leone added, "Miscarriages have never been linked to a gene defect, but understanding the genetic basis of miscarriage would be a hugely important. It would be the first link between a gene mutation, placental function and development." Source: MedicalNewsToday.com
