A new study revealed that a mother's infection with some types of infections during pregnancy, such as German measles and herpes, may increase the chances of her child being diagnosed with autism and cause their child's academic performance to decline.
According to the British newspaper The Telegraph, researchers from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden conducted a study based on the health records of about 3.7 million people born in the country between 1987 and 2021, and focused on types of infections that can cross the placenta and reach the fetus directly, including cytomegalovirus (CMV), German measles, toxoplasmosis, and herpes.
The results showed that the possibility of transmission of infection from mother to fetus is extremely rare, but those children who were exposed to an infectious disease while in the womb were about three times more likely to be diagnosed with autism compared to children who were not exposed to it, and their risk of being diagnosed with intellectual disability increased by about seven times.
“It has been known for a long time that these infectious diseases can cause intellectual disability,” said Hugo Schockvist, a PhD researcher and lead author of the study.
He added: “However, the link between it and autism was not clear enough in previous research, which often relied on small groups of patients.”
He added: “This study is the largest to date in this field, and it relies on national registry data that covers almost the entire population of Sweden.”
The researchers also noted that some children who were exposed to the infection in utero and were not diagnosed with autism or intellectual disability had, on average, lower academic grades than their peers who were not exposed to the infection.
On the other hand, the study did not find a clear relationship between infection during pregnancy and some other psychological and neurological disorders, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or obsessive-compulsive disorder.
The researchers stressed that the results highlight the importance of vaccination programs and other strategies to prevent infections that can be transmitted from a pregnant woman to the fetus.
Eye health is not only related to the means we use to protect them or the number of hours we use screens, but it is also affected by the foods and drinks we consume daily. Diet plays an important role in cardiovascular health, which in turn is reflected in eye health and vision.
About 250 million people around the world suffer from vision loss, ranging in severity from slight to severe. Medical information indicates that there is a direct link between eye health and cardiovascular health. The foods and drinks we consume can affect the health of the circulatory system and the health of vision in the long term, according to WebMed.
In contrast, excessive consumption of certain foods and drinks may increase risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure, which can in turn affect the eyes. The most prominent of these foods and drinks are:
Bread and pasta
Researchers have linked simple carbohydrates, such as those found in white bread and pasta, to an increased risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD), one of the leading causes of vision loss in older people.
This is because the body digests this type of carbohydrate quickly, which leads to a sudden rise in blood sugar levels. To reduce this effect, health experts advise replacing types made from whole grains with white bread and pasta.
Processed meat
Sausages (hot dogs) and cold cuts contain high amounts of sodium. Excessive salt intake over time can lead to high blood pressure, which in turn may cause a number of eye problems, including:
Hypertensive retinopathy: This is damage to the blood vessels in the retina, which may lead to blurred vision or loss of vision.
Choroidopathy: an accumulation of fluid under the retina.
Neuropathy: A blockage in blood flow that leads to nerve damage and vision loss.
Fried foods
Eating foods fried with trans fats may raise your levels of bad cholesterol (LDL), which may increase your risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.
These foods can also contribute to the formation of molecules known as “free radicals,” which are capable of damaging and eliminating cells. This is associated with a number of eye diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic retinopathy.
To counter the effect of free radicals, you can eat fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C, such as citrus fruits, tomatoes, and sweet red peppers.
Cooking oils
A landmark study conducted 30 years ago linked excessive intake of linoleic acid, a type of trans fat, to an increased risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
This acid can be found in a number of cooking oils, including:
- Safflower oil.
- Sunflower oil.
- Corn oil.
- Soybean oil.
- Sesame oil.
Health experts advise choosing cooking oils that contain less than 4 grams of saturated fat per tablespoon, and avoiding oils that contain hydrogenated oils or trans fats.
Ready-to-eat foods
Prepackaged foods, such as soup, tomato sauce and canned foods, often contain large amounts of sodium, sometimes up to 75 percent of the recommended amount.
Reducing consumption of these foods can reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure and associated eye problems.
Therefore, when shopping, be sure to choose the items labeled “low sodium” or “no added salt” of your favorite foods. You can also add spices and herbs to enhance their flavor in a natural way.
Sugary drinks
Soft drinks, energy and sports drinks, lemonade, and other sweetened drinks contain large amounts of sugar. Some of them may contain between 7 and 10 teaspoons of sugar.
These drinks are the primary source of calories and added sugars in the American diet. Eating such large amounts of sugar can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease, which in turn may lead to eye health problems, such as diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
Water remains the best choice when it comes to choosing a healthy drink.
Caffeine
The caffeine in your morning cup of coffee or tea may raise pressure inside the eye.
Studies show that eye pressure increases in people with glaucoma or ocular hypertension (OHT) after consuming caffeine, and a severe increase in eye pressure may lead to vision loss and blindness.
Therefore, paying attention to the quality of foods and drinks we consume daily not only helps maintain cardiovascular health, but can be an important part of taking care of eye health and maintaining strong vision.
Many pregnant women suffer from forgetfulness and blurry thinking, a phenomenon often known as “pregnancy brain.”
According to the British newspaper The Independent, a new study has revealed a biological mechanism that explains this condition, as they attribute it to a specific neural pathway that changes as a result of the continuous rise in estrogen levels, which is common during pregnancy.
Through experiments conducted on laboratory mice that were genetically modified to mimic these persistently high levels of estrogen, researchers observed temporary memory impairment without any accompanying changes in mood.
It turns out that this defect is caused by a disturbance in a neural circuit linking the hypothalamus, which regulates basic vital processes in the body, and the hippocampus, an area in the brain that plays a decisive role in forming memories.
High estrogen stimulated neurons in the hypothalamus, which in turn inhibited hippocampal activity and disrupted memory function.
This mental fogginess is more evident in the late stages of pregnancy, and may continue until after birth before gradually fading.
It affects the ability to retain short- and long-term information, including spatial, social, and verbal memory, such as remembering familiar names, words, or information.
“It's not a serious condition, but it affects daily performance and self-confidence,” says Dr. Zheng Sun, a professor of medicine at Baylor College of Medicine who specializes in endocrinology and molecular biology and one of the leaders of the study published in the journal Science Bulletin.
“Common examples include forgetting why you entered a room, misplacing an item, losing the flow of a conversation, or needing constant reminders,” Sun adds. “It is a widespread phenomenon, as about 80 percent of pregnant women notice these changes.”
But the researchers emphasized that these results do not mean that pregnancy makes women “less intelligent,” as the effects are limited to specific cognitive tasks.
