Immune cells (magenta) and cells expressing a reporter of immune stimulation (cyan), imaged in 3D in a live zebrafish larva. The cells are dynamic, and in our experiments we found that their ...

EUGENE, Ore. — With the holidays over and all the rich and fatty foods behind us, if your gut still is feeling a bit off, it could be bad bacteria. Bad bacteria from a questionable meal or ...

During pregnancy, the muscles of the uterus are relatively inactive. A switch to an activated state capable of strong contractions is therefore essential prior to the onset of labor. Kathleen Martin ...

Childbirth depends not just on hormones, but on the uterus’s ability to sense physical force. Scientists found that pressure and stretch sensors in uterine muscles and surrounding nerves work together ...

There's a big learning curve when it comes to pregnancy. For many expecting parents, just thinking about contractions can be nerve-wracking because they are associated with pain and the start of labor ...

Braxton Hicks contractions are uterine contractions that start in early pregnancy. Most don't notice them until sometime in the second or third trimester – and some women never notice them at all.

An irritable uterus, or uterine irritability, produces frequent and sometimes uncomfortable contractions for pregnant individuals. Although people often confuse uterine irritability with “false labor, ...

A new study shows how one kind of bacteria, Vibrio cholerae, triggers painful intestinal contractions by activating the immune system. The research also finds a more general explanation for how the ...