Weekly ZIP

NIPT, or noninvasive prenatal testing, is an important and effective tool in prenatal care, but can (understandably!) be the source of a lot of anxiety. What will the results be? How accurate is it really? What’s “fetal fraction”? What questions to ask and what to expect?

If your dreams lately feel more intense, detailed, or unsettling than usual, you’re not imagining it. There’s actually some science as to why you’re not just dreaming up this surprising symptom - read on to learn why vivid dreams are such a common pregnancy experience!

Hearing about aspirin use during pregnancy often comes as a surprise, especially with often being told to avoid medications, or to skip the aspirin/NSAIDs. But “baby aspirin” actually has a significant body of evidence supporting its use in some cases - so we're breaking it down.

According to Google, the search term"Shoveling snow pregnant" is up +450% this week, and (unsurprisingly!) there are no studies specifically on snow shoveling. Here's what we can learn from other relevant evidence on whether moms should be out shoveling, or cozying up indoors!

Like eating dates, drinking red raspberry leaf tea is one of the most popular suggestions in preparing for labor. There’s a wide range of beliefs on its benefit - speeding up labor, reducing interventions, or even inducing labor. So which of these benefits does the evidence actually support?

If you’ve heard friends, TikTok influencers, or childbirth educators rave about hypnobirthing, you’re not alone! As more women look for non-medical ways to prepare for labor, interest in hypnobirthing is growing. Is it just the latest “woo” technique, or is it science-backed?

Red light masks have been exploding in popularity – they’re everywhere! After some of the basics (like what foods, drinks or OTC meds to avoid), skincare tools and skin exposures have become a hot topic in early pregnancy. To what extent has red light actually been studied in pregnancy?

Pitocin (a synthetic form of the hormone oxytocin) is one of the most common interventions used to start or speed up labor. And like most induction-related topics, it comes with plenty of opinions, solicited or otherwise! Here’s what we know about pros and cons from the research.

Last Friday, the CDC’s ACIP announced the removal of the universal recommendation for receiving the hepatitis B vaccine at birth. This change to three-decade-old guidance has caused many expecting moms to wonder what changed, and what is the best plan for their baby.