Understanding and addressing a wide range of women’s gynecological and reproductive health issues are priorities for NICHD. Through research, the institute seeks to support and optimize the health of women throughout their lives.
News
NICHD issues News Releases and Media Advisories to the news media. Spotlight and Research Feature articles explain NICHD research findings and public health issues to the general public. An Item of Interest is a short announcement of relevant information, such as a notable staff change.
Media Advisory: Adopting pediatric readiness standards in emergency departments could save more than 2,000 lives each year
Adoption of standards for pediatric care in emergency rooms could save 2,000 lives each year, ranging from no cost to $11.84 per child.
Release: NIH announces prize winners in year-long challenge to develop fetal diagnostic and monitoring technologies
NIH has announced winners of its competition to accelerate the development of diagnostic and monitoring technologies to improve fetal health outcomes.
Item of Interest: NIH establishes $20 million program to study Down syndrome from birth to adulthood
The NIH INCLUDE Project launched a new long-term study, called the Down Syndrome Cohort Development Program, to observe and track health data of people with Down syndrome from birth to adulthood.
Science Update: Evaluating androgen levels in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome helps inform infertility treatments
High androgen levels were linked with low pregnancy rates in polycystic ovary syndrome. The findings may provide information to improve infertility treatment in patients with the condition.
Release: NIH announces winners of prize competition to improve postpartum maternal health and health equity through innovative diagnostics
Eight winning teams developed home-based and point-of-care diagnostics, wearables and other accessible technologies to
improve postpartum health outcomes in regions that have limited access to maternity care.
Science Update: Children and their dogs have high oxytocin levels when interacting with each other
When playing together, children and their dogs have higher levels of oxytocin, a hormone involved in social bonding.
Science Update: High levels of certain forever chemicals during pregnancy linked to mid-life obesity, NIH-funded study suggests
High levels of some forever chemicals in pregnancy could lead to midlife obesity, a study suggests.
Science Update: Newborns with opioid withdrawal more likely to be readmitted after hospital discharge
Newborns experiencing withdrawal symptoms after opioid exposure in the womb are more likely to be readmitted to the hospital 90 days after being discharged.
Director's Corner: Optimizing Infant Health
Our experiences during infancy and childhood affect our health across the lifespan. Through its infant health research, NICHD continues to promote healthy and optimal lives for all children and adolescents, including the tiniest babies.
Item of Interest: NIH funds effort to reduce health disparities for people with disabilities
NIH funded several studies to investigate how ableism—discrimination against people with disabilities—may influence health care of people with disabilities. Researchers will also investigate how to counter ableism’s negative effects.
Item of Interest: NIH report recommends strategies for advancing research on necrotizing enterocolitis
NIH issued a new report identifying promising research areas to improve understanding of necrotizing enterocolitis, a gastrointenstinal disease affecting preterm infants that increases the risk for serious illness and death.
Media Advisory: Atypical metabolite levels at birth may increase SIDS risk
Certain chemicals identified at newborn screening exams may provide a way to tell if an infant is at high risk for sudden infant death syndrome.
Director's Corner: Striving for a Healthy and Safe Return to School
As children head back to school, they must adapt to new routines and social situations. From expanding knowledge about sleep to assessing strategies to prevent school violence, NICHD research helps contribute to a safe and healthy learning environment.
Item of Interest: NIH announces final winners of the Connecting the Community for Maternal Health Challenge
NIH announced the final winners of a 2-year prize competition that encouraged community-based organizations to develop the infrastructure and capabilities to conduct maternal health research.
Science Update: Skin-to-skin care may boost preterm infant neurodevelopment
Skin-to-skin care, or placing an infant on a caregiver’s bare chest for feeding or bonding, appeared to boost very preterm infants' neurodevelopment. Newborns cared for with the method had better neurodevelopment test scores at 12 months.
Item of Interest: NIH launches prize competition to improve health equity for people with disabilities
NIH launched a new federal challenge to encourage community-based organizations to develop and implement strategies to reduce health disparities experienced by people with disabilities.
Science Update: COVID 19-linked inflammatory syndrome in kids may be triggered by a viral protein that resembles a human protein
A life-threatening inflammatory condition affecting children that occurs after infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, may result from an immune system attack on one of the body’s own proteins—triggered by the immune systems recognition of a protein hidden inside SARS-CoV-2.
Science Update: Thyroid hormone imbalance during early pregnancy may increase future risk of thyroid disease
Pregnant people with a thyroid hormone imbalance have a higher risk for low thyroid hormone a year after they give birth.
Science Update: “Eat, Sleep, Console” care approach improves breastfeeding in opioid-exposed newborns, study suggests
Newborns managed with a new care approach for opioid withdrawal were more likely than those receiving traditional care to breastfeed. The findings provide evidence that the care approach may help increase breastfeeding among infants experiencing opioid withdrawal.