Strapped to the ESA's large Foton-M3 capsule, the tiny experiment harbors more than 2,000 life-detecting samples that glow if they encounter life-critical compounds, such as proteins or DNA. Scientists and engineers hope the life-sensing chip can remain viable in the harsh radiation, temperatures and vacuum of space during a trip to Mars. The LMC experiment works like a pregnancy test, which uses color-changing chemicals to pick up traces of hormones found in greater numbers after conception. The experiment's managers ultimately hope to strap their fully tested device aboard the ESA's "ExoMars" robotic rover mission, planned for launch in 2013, where it would serve as a tiny "lab-on-a-chip" to detect traces of past or present martian life. The LMC experiment is one of nine others found in the cylindrical "BIOPAN-6" compartment bolted to the outside of the Foton-M3 capsule. Join the community, sign up for our free daily email newsletter , listen to our Podcasts , check out our RSS feeds and other Reader Favorites today! read more

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There is a risk of developing placental abruption during pregnancy that increases to 25% in women who are moderate smokers, and 65% in women who smoke heavily. Smoking during pregnancy also increases the risk of miscarriage, death of the baby while still in the mother, or shortly after birth. Chronic alcohol use can lead to fetal alcohol syndrome, FAS, which is when the fetus develops abnormally. It is best to avoid alcohol altogether, so that you do not put your baby at risk of having fetal alcohol syndrome. Not only can illegal drugs have harmful effects on babies, but legal drugs and medications can have harmful effects on babies also. read more

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Vitamin D has been shown to influence pathways involved in the development of pre-eclampsia, "yet the vitamin D/pre-eclampsia relation has not been studied," Bodnar's team notes in their report. To investigate, they measured vitamin D levels in banked sera from 55 pregnant women who developed pre-eclampsia and from 219 who did not. Moreover, the risk of pre-eclampsia rose with decreasing levels of vitamin D in early pregnancy, the authors found. If the current findings are verified in other studies, the investigators suggest, "Vitamin D supplementation in early pregnancy should be explored as a safe and effective means of preventing pre-eclampsia and promoting neonatal well-being. read more

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