Zika virus damages placenta

Zika virus is known for a recent outbreak that caused children to be born with microencephaly, or having a small head, and other malformations, new research suggests the virus damages a pregnant mother's placenta, an organ inside a woman's uterus that protects and cares for a growing baby.

Zika virus infection in five pregnant rhesus monkeys caused placental tissues to become thickened and inflamed. As a result, the researchers saw less oxygen being transported across the placenta and to the baby. Decreased oxygen levels in a placenta can impair fetal development and ultimately the health of a baby.

The role of a placenta is to protect and provide nutrition to a growing baby for optimum health Professor Daniel Streblow, Ph.D., and assistant professor Alec Hirsch, Ph.D., both of whom lead molecular microbiology and immunology research at the OHSU Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute. Streblow also leads pathobiology and immunology research at the Oregon National Primate Research Center and is a professor of molecular microbiology and immunology within the OHSU School of Medicine.

The reseachers used a non-invasive, in vivo MRI technique to evaluate oxygen levels inside the placenta and oxygen flow between mother and baby. They found that, in monkeys that were infected with Zika early in their pregnancies, the rate of oxygen transport through the placenta decreased about 10-fold. The OHSU research team also determined the Zika virus can readily pass from mother to baby and remain in the baby long-term, leading to a chronic infection in utero.

 These findings may provide important insights into the mechanisms by which Zika virus causes disease during pregnancy. By better understanding how both mother and child become infected with and affected by the Zika virus, researchers can determine how to prevent its infection and disease. The OHSU research team is using the knowledge gained from this study to develop a safe and effective Zika vaccine for use during pregnancy.
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Hormonal IUDs have no effect on breastfeeding

Having a hormonal intrauterine device IUD implanted immediately after birth does not affect a woman's ability to lactate and breastfeed.

Early placement of a hormonal IUD is safe, it is along-term birth control method that doesn't negatively affect women who want to breastfeed their baby.

Women's milk did not come in later if they received a hormonal IUD immediately after giving birth compared to women who received the same type of IUD several weeks after delivery.

Researchers examined women that received IUD one hour after delivery and those that delayed for one month,
they discovered that early IUD placement is prone to dislodged.

Women who had IUDs placed immediately after birth had a higher rate of losing the birth control device compared to the women who received them later.

 There is no difference in breastfeeding for those that received it immediately and those that received later. IUD hormone prevents unintended pregnancy.
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Bigger twins versus smaller twins

 Slower diffusion of oxygen from mother to baby across the placenta may dictates slower fetal growth.

 Identical twins shared a placenta that is divided into two sections, oxygen may diffuse easily to one of the two and the fetus will be healthier and bigger than the other.

MRI showed that dysfunctional placentas have large regions with delayed diffusion of oxygen to the fetus.

Reserchers followed different sets of identical twins from conception to birth, monitoring pregnancies in which one twin was smaller than the other.

Reserchers measured how long it took oxygen to diffuse into the placenta, and duration it takes to pass through the umbilical cord into the fetus and pass through the brain and liver.

They discovered that the longer time it takes for the oxygen to reach the placenta; the smaller the liver, brain and newborn birth weights.

If the oxygen gets to the placenta sections at the same time, the twins will have the same birth weight.

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Facts about cesarean section

Cesarean section is the delivery of a baby or babies through a surgical incision in the mother's abdomen wall and uterus.

It is often performed when vaginal delivery would put the mother, baby or babies at risk.

• More than 30 percent of all deliveries are by cesarean section.
• You can have vaginal birth if you wish after the first cesarean section.
• You can breastfeed your baby 20 minutes after the operation in a comfortable position.
• Vaginal birth does not make you a super woman, whichever way you give birth to your baby, be proud of yourself.
• Muscles are not cut during cesarean section, they were pushed apart.