Clinicians should be able to identify medical and mental health emergencies in pregnant and postpartum patients to prevent maternal mortality, nurse practitioner Toni Dobson said at the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners 2025 Annual Meeting. Dobson highlighted the importance of asking patients about recent pregnancies and recognizing risk signs for cardiovascular disease and hypertensive disorders. Mental health is a leading cause of maternal mortality, and Dobson emphasized the need for proactive mental health management during and after pregnancy.

A study in Epilepsia found that prenatal exposure to antiseizure medications was more strongly associated with adverse perinatal outcomes than maternal epilepsy itself. Researchers analyzed data from over 629,000 individuals, finding that antiseizure medications were linked to higher risks of preterm birth, induced labor and NICU admissions.

A 40-year study funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases has found that pregnant people with hyperglycemia during the third trimester in insulin-dependent diabetic pregnancies are linked to a higher risk of obesity in adult offspring. The study, which followed 161 adults born to mothers with insulin-dependent diabetes, shows that higher maternal glucose levels in the third trimester correlate with increased BMI and fat mass in offspring, highlighting the importance of glucose control during late pregnancy.

A study published in JCI Insight found proteins in umbilical cord blood that indicate acute systemic inflammation, aiding in the diagnosis of early onset sepsis in preterm newborns. This noninvasive method could reduce unnecessary antibiotic use, which affects 78% of very low birth weight infants.

A study published in Obstetrics & Gynecology found that vaccinating for the flu during pregnancy offers significant benefits, reducing the risk of influenza infection in infants by 44% during their first six months. This protection is most pronounced when vaccinations are administered in the second or third trimester, with reductions of 51.5% and 59.3% respectively.

A review of patient-reported outcomes from the OUTBACK trial indicates that women treated for cervical cancer continue to experience significant sexual health issues and other symptoms years after treatment. The study, presented by Dr. Linda Mileshkin at ASCO 2025, shows that symptoms such as worries about future health, hot flashes, and reduced sexual enjoyment persist three years post-treatment, highlighting the need for dedicated survivorship care.

A new SARS-CoV-2 variant, NB.1.8.1, is spreading globally but poses a low risk to the public, according to the World Health Organization. The variant shows a higher relative growth advantage but no evidence of increased severity or mortality. The symptoms are similar to past variants, and the current vaccine is recommended, though its effectiveness against NB.1.8.1 is unknown.