Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) is shedding light on how vitamin C supplementation during pregnancy could help protect babies from some of the harmful effects of maternal smoking. 

The Problem: Smoking and Pregnancy 

Smoking during pregnancy is known to harm fetal development, particularly the lungs, brain, kidneys, and blood vessels. Nicotine crosses the placenta, directly impacting the growing fetus and often leading to long-term respiratory issues for children born to mothers who smoke. 

The Study: Can Vitamin C Help? 

Researchers at OHSU, led by Dr. Eliot Spindel and Dr. Cindy McEvoy, conducted a clinical trial involving pregnant women who were unable to quit smoking. All participants received a standard prenatal vitamin with 60 mg of vitamin C, but one group also received an additional 500 mg of vitamin C daily. 

Key Findings: Improved Placental Blood Flow 

Using Doppler ultrasound, the team measured blood flow in the umbilical cord. They found that vitamin C supplementation improved placental blood flow in smokers, bringing it closer to the levels seen in nonsmokers. Examining placentas after birth, researchers also observed improved blood vessel development and overall placental function in babies whose mothers received extra vitamin C. 

“It is clear that placental development is abnormal in women who smoke. …In this human clinical trial, it is important to note that some, but not all, abnormalities were prevented by vitamin C intake,” said Dr. Spindel. 

Long-Term Benefits for Babies 

Follow-up studies showed that children born to mothers who took extra vitamin C had better lung function at 3 months, 12 months, and even at age 5 compared to those whose mothers did not receive the supplement. 

Limitations and Continued Risks 

While vitamin C supplementation improved some aspects of placental and fetal health, it did not prevent all the negative effects of smoking during pregnancy. Risks such as premature birth, reduced brain development, and stunted growth remain, and vitamin C does not address these issues. 

Why Not Just Quit Smoking? 

Despite public health efforts, more than half of women who smoke continue during pregnancy. Nicotine is highly addictive, and genetic factors can make quitting especially difficult for some individuals. Importantly, the study also notes that nicotine from vaping and other products likely poses similar risks to fetal development. 

What’s Next? 

Vitamin C supplementation during pregnancy may help mitigate some of the harm caused by smoking, particularly by improving placental blood flow and supporting better lung function in children. However, quitting smoking remains the best way to protect both maternal and fetal health.

A study led by researchers at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) and the Oregon National Primate Research Center (ONPRC) reveals that using cannabis during pregnancy may negatively affect fetal lung development and future respiratory health. The findings, published in the American Journal of Physiology-Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology, are the first to directly examine how maternal THC consumption impacts offspring respiratory health using a nonhuman primate model. 

Key Findings from ONPRC Research 

The research team, including Dr. Jamie Lo and colleagues at OHSU, administered daily THC edibles to pregnant nonhuman primates and compared them to a placebo group. They used fetal MRI scans to assess lung development during pregnancy and performed pulmonary function tests on the infants at six months old. 

Results showed that prenatal THC exposure led to significantly decreased lung volume starting early in fetal development, a difference that persisted at six months of age. The study also found changes in lung gene expression and DNA methylation, which may help explain why the effects of THC exposure during pregnancy could last a lifetime. These changes could increase the risk of children developing chronic respiratory conditions such as asthma later in life. 

Rising Cannabis Use and the Need for Evidence-Based Guidance 

Cannabis use during pregnancy is becoming more common, especially in the first trimester, as some expectant mothers turn to THC products to manage symptoms like morning sickness. However, limited data on the safety of cannabis in pregnancy has left many patients and clinicians without clear guidance on the risks involved. 

Dr. Lo, the study’s lead author, emphasizes the importance of these findings for healthcare providers and patients.  

Dr. Eliot Spindel, senior author and professor at ONPRC, added, “Children born with decreased lung function at birth are more likely to follow a lower trajectory of lung function as they age, increasing their risk to develop childhood asthma and respiratory diseases as adults.”  

What’s Next 

The ONPRC team hopes their research will help inform evidence-based recommendations regarding cannabis use during pregnancy and guide clinicians in counseling their patients. While more research is needed to fully understand the long-term effects, this study raises important concerns about the potential impact of prenatal THC exposure on respiratory health. 

Understanding the Need for New Contraceptive Options 

Many people seeking birth control want non-hormonal options, but choices remain limited. In the United States, about 45% of pregnancies are unintended, and most result from either not using contraception or using it incorrectly. Hormonal contraceptives are not suitable for everyone, so there is a strong demand for new, non-invasive alternatives. 

The Cervix: A Natural Barrier to Fertility 

The cervix acts as a gateway to fertility. Sperm must pass through cervical mucus to reach the uterus and fallopian tubes for fertilization. Cervical mucus changes throughout the menstrual cycle, becoming thinner during ovulation to allow sperm passage, and thickening after ovulation to block sperm and pathogens. This natural barrier presents a promising target for new contraceptive methods. 

Building a Lab Model to Study Cervical Mucus 

A research team led by Dr. Leo Han at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) and the Oregon National Primate Research Center (ONPRC) has developed a new lab-based (in vitro) model to study how cervical mucus changes during the menstrual cycle. Using cells from rhesus macaques, which have cervical structures similar to humans, the team grew and treated these cells with hormones to mimic different cycle phases. 

Key Findings: Genes That Regulate Fertile Mucus 

By analyzing genetic activity in these cultured cells, the researchers identified hundreds of genes that play a role in mucus production and consistency. They discovered that these genes respond differently depending on hormone levels, revealing potential drug targets for blocking sperm without hormones. One important protein, MUC5B, helps form the gel-like structure of mucus, while ion channels influence hydration and thickness. 

A Powerful Tool for Future Contraceptive Research 

This new lab model allows scientists to study cervical mucus in a controlled environment, making it easier to understand the molecular mechanisms that regulate fertility. The team is now testing non-hormonal compounds that could inhibit fertile mucus production in nonhuman primates, moving a step closer to new non-hormonal birth control options. 

Promoting Reproductive Justice 

Lead author Dr. Katrina Rapp emphasizes that expanding contraceptive choices is especially important for marginalized and disadvantaged populations, who are more likely to experience unplanned pregnancies. By focusing on non-hormonal, non-invasive methods, this research could help promote reproductive justice and improve health equity. 

Research Support and Ethical Oversight 

This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health, March of Dimes Foundation, and other partners. All animal research at OHSU is reviewed and approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) to ensure ethical standards and scientific value. 

Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) and the Oregon National Primate Research Center (ONPRC) have uncovered new protective properties of amniotic fluid, opening the door to potential advances in prenatal care and therapies for pregnancy-related complications. 

Amniotic fluid, the vital substance that cushions and protects a developing fetus, has long been known to support organ development and regulate temperature in the womb. However, its full range of functions has remained a mystery, partly because it is difficult to study throughout pregnancy. Now, a multidisciplinary team led by Dr. Jamie Lo at ONPRC has taken a closer look at how amniotic fluid changes over time and how these changes may benefit both mother and baby. 

The study, published in Research and Practice in Thrombosis and Haemostasis, found that adding amniotic fluid to plasma, the liquid part of blood, improves the blood’s ability to clot. This discovery points to a critical protective function during pregnancy and delivery, helping to reduce the risk of dangerous bleeding for both the birthing parent and the baby. 

By analyzing amniotic fluid samples from both humans and nonhuman primates at different stages of pregnancy, the team identified key fatty acids and proteins that shift each trimester, enhancing the blood’s ability to coagulate. These findings suggest that the composition of amniotic fluid is tailored to meet the growing needs of the developing fetus and to support the health of the parent. 

The research also highlights the potential for amniotic fluid components to be used in future therapies. The ONPRC team is now collaborating with other OHSU scientists to explore how these protective factors might help treat pregnancy disorders, especially those affecting blood and blood-forming organs. They are also working with OHSU’s Fetal Care Program to collect unique samples from pregnancies involving in-utero surgeries, hoping to identify elements that could improve outcomes for babies with conditions like spina bifida. 

Dr. Brian Scottoline, co-senior author of the study, points out that babies born prematurely miss out on critical weeks of exposure to amniotic fluid. Understanding how amniotic fluid supports development could lead to new formulas or therapies for preterm infants, potentially mimicking the fluid’s benefits outside the womb. 

The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health and other partners, and all animal research was conducted under strict ethical oversight by OHSU’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. 

A new study on placental gene therapy in rhesus macaques has shown promising results that could lead to improved outcomes for human pregnancies affected by placental insufficiency. The research, conducted by scientists Dr. Helen Jones, from the University of Florida, and Dr. Jenna Schmidt, University of Wisconsin—Madison and Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, focuses on developing a treatment for placental insufficiency. 

Placental insufficiency is a significant concern in human pregnancies, underlying the majority of stillbirths or resulting in low birth weight and extended stays in neonatal intensive care units. The condition can have lasting effects on health throughout their lifespan, potentially leading to cardiovascular disease and neurocognitive developmental issues later in life. 

The researchers used a polymer-based nanoparticle loaded with a plasmid encoding the human IGF-1 protein, which is crucial for normal placental development. This approach builds on Dr. Jones’ 13 years of previous research supported by the NIH Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Development. 

Key findings from the study include: 

• Successful expression of the IGF-1 transgene only in the placenta 

• No negative immune responses from the mother or fetus 

• Transgene expression lasting up to 10 days after treatment 

While the current study involved direct injection into the rhesus macaque placenta, future research aims to refine the delivery method for potential human applications. The next steps include: 

• Delivering nanoparticles via the mother’s circulation 

• Exploring multiple treatments throughout pregnancy 

• Measuring the impact on both mother and fetus through birth 

The ultimate goal of this research is to improve placental function, extend pregnancies, and result in healthier babies and adults. As the study progresses, it brings hope for a potential treatment for placental insufficiency, a condition that currently has no available therapies. 

This innovative research represents a significant step forward in addressing pregnancy complications and improving long-term health outcomes for both mothers and children. 

Thanks to recent research conducted by scientists at the Oregon National Primate Research Center (ONPRC) at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), a new avenue to in vitro fertilization (IVF) could soon be opened for prospective parents who were previously told it was unadvisable or impossible.

A perfect embryo contains 46 perfect chromosomes, but some have more, and others have fewer. The result is a common abnormality known as aneuploidy, which occurs in as many as 80 percent of human embryos. Because aneuploidy has been linked to a risk of in vitro fertilization failure, miscarriage and certain genetic orders or birth defects, mosaic embryos— those with both normal and abnormal cells—have not been considered ideal candidates for IVF transfer.

For prospective mothers who only produce mosaic embryos, this can mean the IVF journey may end before it begins. But that could change very soon.

The ONPRC study, led by Shawn L. Chavez, PhD, an assistant professor of reproductive and developmental sciences at ONPRC at OHSU, and an assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology, and physiology and pharmacology in the OHSU School of Medicine, is the first to confirm mosaic embryos can adapt and persist in development in a nonhuman primate model, resulting in positive IVF outcomes.

Using advanced time-lapse imaging and single-cell sequencing techniques to precisely track the development of mosaic embryos of a rhesus macaque, Chavez and team identified a relationship between mosaicism and two other biological processes: cell fragmentation and blastomere exclusion.

In utero and after IVF, large cells formed by the division of a fertilized egg, known as blastomeres, may break down into small pieces called cellular fragments. These fragments, it seems, can serve as a sort of cellular cleanup crew.

“We found that both the blastomeres and their fragments can act as trash bins within the embryo. As DNA-carrying cells divide and/or fragment, the embryo appears to naturally identify which blastomeres have genetic abnormalities and stop them from further development,” said Chavez.

He further explained that by the stage in which an embryo would implant into the uterus, these abnormal cells or DNA have been visibly excluded from the rest of the embryo, suggesting that imperfect IVF embryos could be considered for use in transfer and could possibly endure in utero.

According to Paula Amato, MD, an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology in the OHSU School of Medicine, this discovery could positively impact IVF processes for humans in the future.

 “While selecting embryos with a normal chromosome complement is preferred and carries a high chance of pregnancy success, it is not a guarantee,” she explained. “For patients with only mosaic embryos available for transfer, these findings suggest that in some cases, these embryos will result in apparently normal pregnancies.”

Ongoing research will use live-cell time-lapse imaging to better understand the relationship between aneuploidy, cell fragmentation and blastomere exclusion within the embryo. The scientists believe these results could open up new avenues for testing mosaic human embryos.

“We expect that the overall results will be similar to the story of the ‘dark horse,’” said Chavez. “While not perceived as a contender at the start of the IVF race, a mosaic embryo may still be capable of winning and resulting in something wonderful.”

Medications like chemotherapy and radiation are highly effective in treating cancer and benign tumors, but these therapies can also increase the risk of infertility. One in three childhood cancer survivors carry this risk, and for those undergoing treatment prior to puberty, common fertility preservation processes for adults—such as sperm or egg freezing—are not an option. 

But there may be newfound hope.

Recent research from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Magee-Women’s Research Institute and Oregon National Primate Research Center (ONPRC) at Oregon Health & Science University has found immature testicular tissue can be cryopreserved, or frozen, and later used to restore fertility.

Using a nonhuman primate model of cancer survivorship, the researchers removed one testis each from prepubertal rhesus macaques and cryopreserved the immature testicular tissue. Later, the researchers thawed and transplanted pieces of the tissue under the skin of the same animal.

Approximately one year later, the testicular skin grafts were removed and compared to samples of the immature tissues. Not only were the grafts able to produce enough testosterone for the animal to undergo puberty, but they were also found to contain an abundance of mature sperm.

Scientists at ONPRC then used the samples to generate viable embryos through intracytoplasmic sperm injection, or ICSI, where individual sperm were recovered from the graft tissues and injected directly into an egg. The embryos were successfully transferred to recipient females, and in April 2018, a healthy female baby named “Grady” was born.

“The ability and choice to have a family should not be determined by the risks of necessary medical treatment,” said Carrie Hanna, PhD, director of the Assisted Reproductive Technology Core at ONPRC. “Grady represents an important step toward ensuring that children maintain their opportunity to have a family later in life, should they choose to do so.”

When preparing for motherhood, no mom-to-be should have to worry about a potentially life-threatening illness. And thanks to the work of researchers at Wisconsin National Primate Research Center (WiNPRC) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW), we’re one step closer to controlling a disease which exclusively affects pregnant women.

Preeclampsia raises a mother’s blood pressure, threatening both her life and her baby’s. Symptoms usually include water retention and protein in the urine, as well as rarer and more severe effects like liver or kidney failure.

The disease is treatable if detected early and handled with regular prenatal care, but no one knows its cause or how to prevent it. However, two studies by WiNPRC researchers have offered promising insights.

In one study, researchers discovered testosterone levels in preeclamptic women are elevated two to three times above normal levels. Animal models of preeclampsia also showed patterns and levels of increases in testosterone mimicking those found in women. This correlated positively with vascular dysfunction and higher placental androgen (hormone) receptor gene expression.

In a closely related study, scientists using an animal model found maternal vascular adaptation to pregnancy is critical for blood flow through the placenta to the developing baby. If vasculature can’t properly adapt, the mother may develop preeclampsia and other hypertensive disorders.

These discoveries could help scientists create life-saving treatments.

“With these confirmed animal models of preeclampsia, we can now dig deeper to uncover the etiology and pathogenesis of preeclampsia to gain a better understanding of the disorder and advance treatments and preventions for women,” explained David Abbott, Ph.D., of WiNPRC.

Elevated risk for diabetes and weight gain is a well-documented issue for post-menopausal women—but its biological cause isn’t as certain.

Contradicting past studies, researchers at the Wisconsin National Primate Research Center (WiNPRC) have learned that a naturally-occurring decline in one specific hormone may not be a significant factor in post-menopausal health risks, as previously thought. An article published July 19 in the International Journal of Obesity shows a much smaller role for ovarian estradiol—a steroid hormone—in female metabolism than previously thought.

In prior studies with adult female rodents, ovarian estradiol has been shown to regulate body weight, energy balance and other factors while also protecting against diet-induced obesity.

“We thought these actions also occurred in primates, but our research indicates otherwise,” said Marissa Kraynak, PhD, who co-authored the study with Ricki Colman, PhD.

To test the metabolic functions of ovarian estradiol in female nonhuman primates and discover what happens when the hormone is removed, scientists at WiNPRC selected the common marmoset monkey, which is modestly susceptible to diet-induced obesity. They studied the effects of estradiol depletion combined with diets higher in fat and sucrose, hypothesizing that this would increase body weight and decrease glucose tolerance.

“But we were surprised to see no changes in feeding behavior, activity or energy expenditure in our study monkeys,” Kraynak noted.

The study results suggest that ovarian estradiol may not be a major contributor to metabolic health in female primates. This also leaves open the intriguing possibility that estrogens produced elsewhere in the body—including the brain—may function in this capacity in both nonhuman primates and women.

‘Hippies’ are not all human; nonhuman primates have their own flower children. The muriqui monkey boasts famously low rates of aggression, spending much of its time hugging and socializing, and displays no hierarchy among males and females. Yet, through the work of a Brazilian-American research group led by Karen Strier, professor of Anthropology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the muriquis have emerged as a charismatic animal in need of help as habitat delines and populations dwindle.

In the effort to preserve the 2,300 muriquis in the wild, the research group asked an all-important question – What data do we need?

This question is especially important for studying multiple populations with differing habitat requirements, like northern and southern muriquis. Previous studies failed to maintain consistent methods, which produced results that were not comparable, so this team’s efforts are groundbreaking. “We think this may be one of the most comprehensive efforts to analyze the data monitoring needs for ensuring the survival of an endangered animal,” says Strier.

The study identifies genetic uniqueness and geographic importance as two key measurements that indicate whether a population can be used to enhance genetic diversity. Sex ratio and the proportion of females carrying babies allow scientists to understand population change. Methods should address feasibility, since many species inhabit locations impossible to reach, and be wary of fringe sites, as outlier populations are especially sensitive to climate changes.

Scientists are already applying this methodology to the northern and southern muriqui populations. The team is hopeful these methods can be used to study and save other endangered species.

The peaceful primates’ luck is looking up, as new muriqui reserves and abandoned farms make for hospitable environments to call home. “Seeing the resilience of nature makes me more determined than ever,” explains Strier. “We can’t reverse the past assaults to the planet, but we can do everything we can to stop them and give the animals and plants a chance to come back.”

Reviewed August 2019

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Photo credit: Wisconsin National Primate Research Center