reproductive health

Topic description and stories

Silent killer

13 Sep 2013

Many of us are infected with a virus we’ll never clear. While we’re healthy, it’s nothing to worry about, but when our immune system is suppressed it...

Understanding the placenta: the key to healthy life

22 Aug 2012

The placenta is the interface between the mother and her baby, which means it is not only key to a successful pregnancy, it determines the future...

Delivering better ways of preventing stillbirth

11 May 2012

Despite recent dramatic reductions in cot death rates in the UK, and the development of sophisticated screening for Down’s syndrome, preventing...

Exposure to micronutrients prior to pregnancy has been associated with gene modifications in offspring

22 Feb 2012

Scientists find that micronutrients affect methylation, which has been associated with changes in the immune system.

Under the Microscope #3 - Mouse embryo

26 Jan 2012

In this video, we see a mouse embryo developing. Dr Erica Watson tells us that studying this process helps us better understand human pregnancy.

Selecting the fittest embryos for survival

10 Aug 2011

Researchers at the University of Cambridge have developed a new technique which could significantly increase success rates of pregnancies and reduce...

You are what your mother ate

21 Mar 2011

Research provides new insight into why poor diet during pregnancy negatively affects offspring’s long term health.

Immune interaction optimises foetal nourishment during pregnancy

08 Feb 2011

Paternal genes advise maternal immune cells on how to build the best womb for developing foetuses, researchers have found.

Amniocentesis: a key to identify autism in the womb?

04 Jan 2011

Cambridge researchers are pioneering a new test for autism in the womb, by measuring the levels of testosterone produced by the foetus, which makes...