Non-invasive prenatal examination may detect early-stage cancer

An adapted version of a test non-invasive prenatal care is able to detect some early-stage cancers in pregnant women. This was pointed out in a study published in the American Medical Association's journal of oncology.

The study counted on the participation of 4,000 pregnant women. Through blood examination three genomic mutations were observed in three women that led to the suspicion of maternal or fetal cancer. All three patients were referred for further examination. In one, ovarian cancer was detected, the other follicular lymphoma, and in the third, a Hodgkin's lymphoma was diagnosed. Because these types of cancers have been detected in their early stages, before the onset of symptoms, the treatment is much better.

Noninvasive prenatal tests are currently used to detect risks for genetic conditions in the fetus such as Down Syndrome , Edwards Syndrome, Turner Syndrome, and neural tube defects. They are often indicated when the mother is more likely to have a child with these conditions, such as in the case of pregnant women over the age of 35.

With this study, researchers argue that non-invasive prenatal tests are performed by all women and not only those most at risk of having a child with a certain genetic condition.

Breast Contact between Mother and Newborn Hospitalized Brings Health Benefits to Both

Direct contact between the skin of the mother and the premature baby or the need for intensive care, even within the neonatal units, reduces the mother's stress levels, according to a study. to be presented at a conference of the American Academy of Pediatrics in Washington (USA). The stress of the mother can interfere with the baby's bond, the mother's physical and emotional health, and the possibility of breastfeeding after this period.

(Family)

Reading and telling stories to children helps in their brain development

There is no habit older than reading and telling stories to a child before bedtime. But in addition to helping them fall asleep, this nocturnal activity helps in the brain development of children, according to a study published in the August issue of the journal Pediatrics . According to scholars it is already known that reading for children helps in the development of language, but little has been analyzed about the effect of this on the child brain.

(Family)