Tech & Science A new artificial intelligence-enhanced machine can reportedly help doctors select healthy embryos for in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment with 85 percent accuracy. The tech—developed by experts from Imperial College in London and Cornell University in New York—uses algorithms to predict the quality of embryos in an incubator based on time-lapse photography. Medical staff can use it to help boost the chance of a successful pregnancy. According to The Mirror, a New York-based supercomputer codenamed “The Beast” was fed “more than 50,000 images of more than 10,000 embryos” to learn the key factors behind which embryos were likely to result in a live birth, and which were likely to result in a stillbirth. In one trial, using a sample of 328 images of embryos, the AI machine was able to identify 280 that had resulted in a live birth, the Daily Telegraph reported. Dr. Nikica Zaninovic, lead author of the study from Cornell … [Read more...] about Artificial Intelligence Boosts Chances of Successful IVF, Study Claims
Pregnancy success rate
CHICAGO (AP) — Learning disabilities and other special education needs are common in children born with opioid-related symptoms from their mother’s drug use while pregnant, according to the first big U.S. study to examine potential long-term problems in these infants. About 1 in 7 affected children required special classroom services for problems including developmental delays and speech or language difficulties, compared with about 1 in 10 children not exposed to opioids before birth, the study found. The study highlights the “absolutely critical” importance of early detection and intervention, before these children reach school age, to give them a better chance of academic success, said Dr. Nathalie Maitre, a developmental specialist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. “It really confirms what those of us who do neurodevelopment follow-up of these children are seeing.” The study involved about 7,200 children aged 3 to 8 … [Read more...] about Mom’s use of opioids in pregnancy may stunt kids’ learning
click to enlarge COURTESY OF BRITTANY KELLMAN Yvonne Smith, Noni Rogers Boyd, Brittany "Tru" Kellman, Haley Manning and Madyson Winn have big plans for Jamaa Birth Village. But they need money to achieve them. In recent months, the high mortality rate for black women giving birth has become a growing national concern. From reports by the Centers for Disease Control and in-depth reporting by the New York Times to Serena Williams' widely publicized personal horror story, the rate of pregnancy-related death for black women — which is three to four times higher than their white counterparts — is finally gaining attention. For Brittany "Tru" Kellman, founder and executive director of the Ferguson-based Jamaa Birth Village, the awareness is welcome. But she can't help but be a bit frustrated by the way things are playing out. "It's like, 'Finally!'" she says. "But in terms of money going into it, it's going to huge organizations with huge budgets, … [Read more...] about Ferguson’s Jamaa Birth Village Is Laboring to Cut Mortality Rates for Black Mothers
There was just one student in the Boulder Valley School District’s teen parent program last year. She graduated in May, and and the district spent the summer turning the program’s nursery into a child care center for staff. In the Englewood district just south of Denver there were no students in the teen parent program last year, and in the western Colorado city of Montrose, the long-standing charter school for pregnant and parenting teens was newly closed because of dwindling enrollment. These are just a few examples of Colorado’s shifting educational landscape for teen parents and the school districts that serve them. As some programs downsize or close their doors, others have worked to adapt to the times — stepping up advertising, adding online offerings, or moving away from single centralized programs. In part, these trends are driven by the state’s record-low teen birth rate, which mirrors national declines. Other factors that may be siphoning … [Read more...] about To close or evolve? As teen birth rates drop, school programs for teen parents face a new landscape
DeAsia Paige Detroit Free Press Published 7:01 p.m. UTC Aug 2, 2018 Outside of the baby showers, gender reveal parties and other events dedicated to the introduction of new life, there's a dark side to pregnancy. And for black mothers in Detroit, it's a matter of life or death, said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, a director of the Detroit Health Department. “Thirteen out of every thousand babies born in city of Detroit die before their first birthday, and that’s almost twice the rate in the rest of the state of Michigan," Khaldun said. In 2016, the infant mortality rate in the United States was 5.9 deaths per 1,000 live births, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which listed the 2016 infant mortality rate in Michigan as 6.4 deaths per 1,000 live births. The Detroit Health Department wants to create a new reality for pregnant moms in Detroit through by providing social support and clinical services. Almost a year after … [Read more...] about Detroit babies dying at alarming rate: Can this help?