Pregnancy and postpartum are periods in which women develop psychosocially. However, becoming a mother is stressful, and mood disorders related to anxiety and depression often develop. In recent years, research on interoception—sensations related to the body’s internal physiological state—has attracted attention. Interoception has multifaceted characteristics. It involves directly perceiving information in the body while also inferring and evaluating it. In this study, we examined interoception, anxiety, and depression in Japanese pregnant women. Empirical examinations and questionnaire surveys were used to measure interoception in 32 pregnant women not at high risk of pregnancy. A Japanese adaption of the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness was used to measure interoceptive sensibility, and a heartbeat counting task performance was used to measure interoceptive accuracy. Anxiety and depression were measured using the Japanese versions of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, respectively. A correlation analysis was performed between interoception, anxiety and depression and between differences between sensibility and accuracy of interoception, anxiety and depression. We revealed that interoceptive sensibility and differences between sensibility and accuracy of interoception were associated with anxiety. Based on results of this pilot study, it is necessary to investigate using longitudinal studies whether interoception might be an effective predictor tool for early detection of anxiety during pregnancy and postpartum.

The S = -2 hypernuclear states formed through (K^-, K⁺) reactions have been studied by using the 1.66 GeV/c K^- beam provided by KEK Proton Synchrotron. Investigation has been done on the stars due to the capture of the Ξ^- hyperons at rest in nuclear emulsion, which hyperons were produced in (K^-, K⁺) reactions. We observed a clear case of an absorption of Ξ^- hyperon at rest by a nucleus followed by a back-to-back emission of two single-Λ hypernuclei.

Nausea and vomiting in pregnancy (NVP) is a common symptom. Although the influence of NVP during the first trimester on dietary intake and birth outcomes has been revealed, no study has focused on NVP during the second trimester. This study aimed to reveal whether NVP severity during the second trimester is associated with dietary intake, gestational weight gain (GWG), birth weight, and delivery week. Participants completed a questionnaire at 18–27 gestational weeks. NVP severity was assessed using the modified Pregnancy-Unique Quantification of Emesis and Nausea scale in the questionnaire. Dietary habits were assessed using a brief-type diet history questionnaire. In total, 825 responses were analyzed: 202 (24.5%), 135 (16.4%), and 8 (1.0%) women reported mild, moderate, and severe NVP, respectively; 480 (58.2%) women did not have NVP during the second trimester. No significant association was observed between energy and nutrient intake and no/mild and moderate/severe NVP. Women with moderate/severe NVP had lower total GWG than those with no/mild NVP (p = 0.007). There was no significant difference in low birth weight and preterm birth rates (p = 0.246 and p = 0.604). This is the first study to investigate whether NVP severity during the second trimester is associated with dietary intake and birth outcomes.

The prevalence of low-birth-weight infants has increased over the past 40 years to approximately 9–10% of Japanese live births. This study aims to identify healthy lifestyle behaviors and psychosocial factors contributing to appropriate perinatal outcomes, gestational weight gain, and postpartum weight change. The Japan Pregnancy, Eating, Activity, and Cohort study was initiated in 2020 in Tokyo, Yamagata/Miyagi, Osaka, and Fukuoka. Participants will be enrolled at approximately 12 weeks of gestation, with follow-up at 18–27 and 35–41 weeks of gestation and 1, 6, and 12 months postpartum. Approximately 3000 participants are targeted: Yamagata/Miyagi (n = 300), Tokyo (n = 1500), Osaka (n = 800), and Fukuoka (n = 400). Participants will complete questionnaires on healthy lifestyle behaviors (dietary intake, physical activity, and circadian rhythm), psychosocial factors, weight control, and behavioral intentions. Medical records will be reviewed for antenatal checkup data. The primary outcomes will include gestational weight gain, infant birth weight, perinatal complications, breastfeeding, and postpartum weight change. Demographic and psychosocial factors and lifestyle behaviors will be examined as covariates and potential confounders. Biological samples will be collected in Tokyo and Yamagata. The study’s findings will inform efforts to improve perinatal care guidelines through evidence-based recommendations.

Background: Ensuring an appropriate continuum of care in maternal, newborn, and child health, as well as providing nutrition care, is challenging in remote areas. To make care accessible for mothers and infants, we developed a telehealth care system called Portable Health Clinic for Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health. Objective: Our study will examine the telehealth care system’s effectiveness in improving women’s and infants’ care uptake and detecting their health problems. Methods: A quasi-experimental study will be conducted in rural Bangladesh. Villages will be allocated to the intervention and control areas. Pregnant women (≥16 gestational weeks) will participate together with their infants and will be followed up 1 year after delivery or birth. The intervention will include regular health checkups via the Portable Health Clinic telehealth care system, which is equipped with a series of sensors and an information system that can triage participants’ health levels based on the results of their checkups. Women and infants will receive care 4 times during the antenatal period, thrice during the postnatal period, and twice during the motherhood and childhood periods. The outcomes will be participants’ health checkup coverage, gestational and neonatal complication rates, complementary feeding rates, and health-seeking behaviors. We will use a multilevel logistic regression and a generalized estimating equation to evaluate the intervention’s effectiveness. Results: Recruitment began in June 2020. As of June 2022, we have consented 295 mothers in the study. Data collection is expected to conclude in June 2024. Conclusions: Our new trial will show the effectiveness and extent of using a telehealth care system to ensure an appropriate continuum of care in maternal, newborn, and child health (from the antenatal period to the motherhood and childhood periods) and improve women’s and infants’ health status. Trial Registration: ISRCTN Registry ISRCTN44966621; https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN44966621

Background: Periodontal disease during pregnancy has been associated with an increased risk of preterm birth (PTB) and low birth weight (LBW). However, most previous interventional studies have reported that scaling and root planing (SRP), a form of basic periodontal treatment, is insufficient to effectively prevent PTB and LBW. Recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses suggest that combining SRP with routine use of chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) mouthwash may reduce the risk of these adverse birth outcomes by approximately half. This study will be among the first randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to evaluate the potential synergistic effects of this combined approach on improving birth outcomes. Methods: This multi-center, three-arm RCT will be conducted at two hospitals in Dhaka and Bogura, Bangladesh, between April 2025 and September 2026. A total of 480 pregnant women less than 20 weeks’ gestation attending antenatal checkups will be recruited. Participants diagnosed with periodontal disease will be randomly assigned to either an intervention group or a positive control group. Participants without periodontal disease will be assigned to a negative control group. The intervention consists of SRP combined with continued use of CHG mouthwash throughout pregnancy. The primary outcome will be the rate of PTB. Secondary outcomes include the birth weight of the newborn baby, maternal periodontal status, and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). Effectiveness will be assessed by comparing outcomes across the study groups. Discussion: The oral health intervention is expected to improve both birth outcomes and maternal oral health. Demonstrating its effectiveness in a real-world setting may support the integration of oral health care into broader maternal, neonatal, and child health strategies, particularly in resource-limited settings. Trial registration: UMIN Clinical Trials Registry. UMIN000057519. Registered on April 4, 2025. https://center6.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000065719 .