Timing of Birth Linked to Cerebral Palsy

There may be one more reason for expectant moms to think twice before scheduling an elective Cesarean delivery to minimize the time they are pregnant. Researchers report that early or late delivery can increase the chances that a newborn develops cerebral palsy.

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a movement disorder that doctors believe originates from an injury to the brain during fetal development or early childhood. The scientists found that babies born at 37 weeks were 90% more likely to have cerebral palsy than babies born at 40 weeks, and that the relative risk was 40% higher among infants born later, after 42 weeks gestation. The overall risk of cerebral palsy among all births, they say, is still small.

While previous studies have found that babies born prior to 39-40 weeks have a higher chance of developing cerebral palsy, it's not clear what contributes to the condition.

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Sad Mothers Give Birth to Smaller Babies, Study Finds

Women who suffer from depression or anxiety may be more likely to have underweight babies -- even when those babies are born at full term, after a normal-length pregnancy -- a new study shows. This study adds to a body of research that gives conflicting evidence about the role of mental health in pregnancy.

The study assessed 583 women in rural Bangladesh. (Similar studies have been carried out in the U.S. and elsewhere in the developed world. But since the contribution of social factors to depression and anxiety is unknown, it has been useful to analyze the relationship of depression and pregnancy health across many different social settings.) Of all the Bangladeshi women who participated in this study, 18% showed depressive symptoms, and 26% showed symptoms of general anxiety -- all as measured by a standardized international diagnostic test, given during the third trimester of pregnancy.

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