Stanford Medicine researchers built an AI-powered, cell-by-cell atlas of how the immune system changes during pregnancy. They used it to create "digital twins" of individual pregnant women's immune systems and tested drugs on those models virtually. The study was published Oct. 21 in Science Advances.
The strongest candidate was a combination of low-dose aspirin and lansoprazole, an acid-reflux drug sometimes prescribed in pregnancy. In the model, the pair delayed labor 15 times more than aspirin alone, according to senior author Dr. Brice Gaudilliere.
Preterm birth affects about 10% of pregnancies worldwide, and prematurity is the leading cause of death in children under 5. The researchers are starting a clinical trial in patients. This is a computer-modeled result, so pregnant people should not change their medications based on it.
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State data shows the region has the highest flu test positivity in California, weeks or months ahead of the usual winter rise, and health officials are urging people to get vaccinated now.
Santa Clara Valley Healthcare says uninsured hospital admissions have doubled to about 250 a month and it will spend at least $25 million more on subsidized care. NorthBay Health in Solano County and Napa's Queen of the Valley report increases too, ahead of Medi-Cal cuts that start in 2027.
A dry cold front brings below-normal temperatures, 35-45 mph gusts in gaps and passes, and a slim rain chance early next week, the National Weather Service says.
