Clarissa Brincat

All articles by Clarissa Brincat

• Future FNAIT goals shift from treatment to prevention

  Instead of treating serious FNAIT symptoms when they emerge, doctors are finding ways to prevent them from happening in the first place.

• Study: Breastfeeding may improve mothers’ postpartum mental health

  Breastfeeding may lower a mother’s chance of having mental health challenges after giving birth, according to a recent study.

• Study: Gestational thrombocytopenia does not worsen with each pregnancy

  Gestational thrombocytopenia, a condition that causes low blood platelets in a pregnant woman, usually does not get worse with each pregnancy.

• New platelet transfusion method for infants shows promise

  A new type of platelet transfusion for newborns was more effective than standard platelet transfusions in a recent study.

• Doctors need more support to address patients’ social needs

  A recent study showed healthcare professionals want to address patients’ social needs but did not have enough resources to do so.

• Blood transfusion side effects uncommon and usually mild in children

  Allergic reactions and fever are the most common side effects of blood transfusions seen in children, according to a recent study.

• Posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus treatment may help infants avoid brain shunt

  A temporary treatment for posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus in newborns may lower the chance that a baby will later need a brain shunt.

• FNAIT antibody behavior varies, making risk hard to predict

  FNAIT antibodies attack platelets act in different ways, making it hard for doctors to predict how severe the disease may be in each patient.

• Routine pregnancy screening can help prevent FNAIT complications

  Authors of the review stated routine screening during pregnancy for FNAIT would allow for timely treatment and help prevent brain bleeds.

• New blood test determines baby’s blood group during pregnancy

  Doctors can now accurately determine a baby’s blood group during pregnancy using a simple blood test from the mother.