Psychological distress before COVID-19 infection—feeling stressed, depressed, anxious, worried, or lonely—may raise the risk for long COVID, suggests a study funded by the National Institutes of Health.
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.
Spotlight: Advancing neuroscience research for children around the world
Eight years ago, NIH announced a collaboration with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to develop solutions for a variety of global health challenges. Learn how NICHD research is supporting this goal.
Science Update: Pregnancy-associated homicides on the rise in the United States, suggests NICHD-funded study
U.S. rates of pregnancy-associated homicide—deaths that occur among women who are pregnant or had been pregnant within one year—rose in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a recent NICHD-funded study.
Director's Corner: Crowdsourcing to Advance Maternal Health Research
Challenge competitions offer a mechanism to quickly bring in diverse voices and expertise to innovate and problem-solve. This month, NICHD and partners launched two challenges focused on improving our nation’s maternal health: the RADx® Tech for Maternal Health Challenge and the Connecting the Community for
Maternal Health Challenge.
Release: NIH launches $8 million prize competition to reduce maternal deaths in regions that lack maternity care
The National Institutes of Health is offering up to $8 million in cash prizes to accelerate development of technologies to improve maternal health outcomes for those who live in areas lacking access to maternity care.
Science Update: Study identifies potential contributor to racial disparities in uterine fibroid disease
Patterns of gene expression—the degree to which genes are turned on or off—in uterine muscle tissue may help explain why fibroids disproportionately affect Black women, suggests a study supported by NICHD. Understanding the factors that contribute to racial disparities in uterine fibroid disease can inform treatment and prevention approaches.
Release: Umbilical cord milking may improve health in non-vigorous term and near-term infants
A treatment to move blood from the umbilical cord into an infant’s body may improve the overall health of newborns classified as non-vigorous—limp, pale and with minimal breathing, suggests a study funded by the National Institutes of Health. The procedure, known as umbilical cord milking, involves gently squeezing the cord between the thumb and forefinger and slowly pushing the blood into the abdomen.
Release: NIH awards $100 million for Autism Centers of Excellence program
The National Institutes of Health has awarded a total of $100 million over the next five years to support nine Autism Centers of Excellence (ACEs). This endeavor funds large research projects to understand and develop interventions for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Created in 2007, the ACE program is renewed every five years.
Science Update: Uterine stretch protein linked to preterm labor
Researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health have identified a protein that allows the uterus to stretch to accommodate a developing fetus. When the protein is deactivated, the uterus begins the contractions culminating in labor. The findings raise the possibility of preventing preterm labor by developing drugs to target the protein.
Release: NIH launches challenge to advance community-based maternal health research
The National Institutes of Health has launched a $3 million challenge competition to encourage community-based and advocacy organizations in the United States to develop the infrastructure and capabilities necessary to conduct maternal health research.
Item of Interest: NIH-funded research leads to pediatric labeling updates for diazepam and clindamycin
Drug labels for diazepam and clindamycin now include better information for healthcare
providers on recommended usage and dosage in pediatric populations.
Media Advisory: NIH-funded scientists generate a mouse embryo model that develops neural tubes
Scientists funded in part by NICHD have generated a mouse embryo model, or embryoid, that develops beyond neurulation—formation of the neural tube, which gives rise to the central nervous system—and closely mirrors natural mouse embryos 8.5 days after fertilization. These embryoids offer a promising model system for research into factors affecting mammalian embryonic development and disease.
Media Advisory: NIH-funded researchers develop same-day test to detect abnormal fetal chromosomes
Scientists funded by the National Institutes of Health have developed a same-day test to identify abnormal fetal chromosomes.
Item of Interest: NIH to establish Maternal Health Research Centers of Excellence
NIH recently released three funding opportunity announcements inviting applications for the Maternal Health Research Centers of Excellence initiative, which will develop and evaluate innovative approaches to reduce pregnancy-related complications and deaths and promote maternal health equity.
Director's Corner: Advancing Infant Nutrition Research
The recent shortage of infant formula underscores its importance for the health of children in the United States, making this an opportune time for Dr. Bianchi to reflect on NICHD’s work to advance infant nutrition research.
Science Update: Less excitable service dogs associated with greater reduction in veterans’ PTSD, NIH-funded study suggests
Among military members and veterans relying on service dogs for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), those whose dogs were rated as less excitable scored lower on PTSD severity, according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health. Those paired with less excitable service dogs also tended to have a closer relationship with the dog, compared to those with more excitable dogs. The authors concluded that pairing service members with less excitable service dogs could potentially lessen their PTSD symptoms.
Science Update: Endometriosis linked to higher stroke risk, NIH-funded study suggests
Women with endometriosis may have a higher risk for stroke, suggests a study funded by the National Institutes of Health. The analysis of more than 110,000 women found that compared to women without the condition, women who had been diagnosed with endometriosis had a 34% higher risk for stroke. The study authors concluded that physicians should consider counseling patients with endometriosis about their risk for stroke and other cardiovascular conditions.
Science Update: Masking doesn’t appear to interfere with children’s ability to follow nonverbal IQ test instructions, NIH-funded study suggests
Under appropriate conditions, protective face coverings can successfully be used during intelligence testing without interfering with the ability to understand the test administrator’s instruction, suggests a small study funded by the National Institutes of Health. Groups of young children scored comparably on a test measuring nonverbal intelligence whether they or the test administrators wore masks. The findings help to allay concerns that face masks may interfere with testing by hiding administrators’ facial expressions.
Science Update: Pregnant people with disabilities at higher risk for intimate partner violence, NIH-funded study suggests
Compared to pregnant people without a disability, pregnant people with disabilities may have about two and a half times the risk of experiencing intimate partner violence in the year before pregnancy and during pregnancy, suggests a study funded by the National Institutes of Health. The study authors conclude that health care providers should be vigilant in screening persons with disabilities for intimate partner violence before and during pregnancy and refer them to appropriate information and resources.
Science Update: Children more likely to become friends when they sit next to each other in school, NIH-funded study suggests
Even though they encounter multiple classmates during school each day, primary school children are much more likely to become friends with classmates they sit next to rather than other children in the class, a study funded by the National Institutes of Health suggests. The results imply that by assigning seats, teachers have a disproportionate influence on the friendships their students form.