Top in women's health: Supplements fall short; portable ultrasound device shows promise

Out of more than 20,000 dietary supplements, only one had sufficient nutrients in required doses that pregnant patients need, according to a study recently published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Researchers found that the supplement that contained target doses for six important nutrients was more expensive and required more tablets per serving. It was the top story in women’s health last week.

Another top story was about a low-cost, portable, battery-powered device used to conduct blind ultrasound sweeps. The device, which can be operated without prior medical knowledge and only requires brief training, demonstrated a 91.7% sensitivity for detecting a prespecified complication of pregnancy.

Read these and more top stories in women’s health below:

Few dietary supplements in US provide key nutrients for pregnancy

Almost no dietary supplements available in the U.S. provide key nutrients in required doses for pregnant women, which can lead to risk for inadequate nutrient intake from foods alone, researchers reported. Read more.

Blind ultrasound sweeps with low-cost, portable device identify high-risk pregnancies

Blind ultrasound sweeps performed by operators without formal training using a low-cost, portable, battery-powered device resulted in high sensitivity and specificity for high-risk pregnancy complications, according to study findings. Read more.

Cannabis warning sign policies not linked to reduced use during pregnancy

Policies on mandatory cannabis warning sign were not associated with reduced use during pregnancy or with users believing use during pregnancy was less safe, according to study results published in JAMA Network Open. Read more.

Prenatal lifestyle interventions can decrease gestational weight gain

Prenatal lifestyle interventions delivered by an allied health professional, with individual delivery formats and a moderate number of sessions, decreased gestational weight gain, according to data published in JAMA Network Open. Read more.

COVID-19 vaccination not tied to ovarian reserve change for women seeking fertility treatment

COVID-19 vaccination was not associated with ovarian reserve changes for women seeking fertility treatment, regardless of type of vaccine, according to a retrospective cohort study published in JAMA Network Open. Read more.