Results for: Pregnancy Complications

For the first time, scientists have created detailed maps of immune cells in the placenta. These maps provide insights into how the immune system defends the fetus from infections during early pregnancy. By studying these maps, researchers hope to develop treatments that prevent pregnancy complications caused by infections. The placenta acts as a barrier between the mother and fetus, allowing essential substances like nutrients to pass through while blocking harmful substances like germs. However, during early pregnancy, the fetus’s immune system is still developing, making it vulnerable to infections.

During oral arguments in a case concerning the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA), the women on the Supreme Court expressed concerns about how Idaho’s near-total abortion ban could impact pregnant women facing life-threatening emergencies. Justice Amy Coney Barrett, a Catholic abortion opponent, pressed Idaho Solicitor General Joshua Turner on what medical conditions qualify for emergency abortions under the state’s law.