Podcast: NICHD supports research on pelvic floor disorders
NICHD's Dr. Donna Mazloomdoost, program director for the Pelvic Floor Disorders Network, explains problems of the pelvic floor, which affect as many as 1 in 3 women in the U.S.
News & Updates
NICHD issues Releases and Media Advisories to the news media. Science Updates and Spotlights explain NICHD research findings and public health issues to the general public. An Item of Interest is a short announcement such as an initiative launch or a notable staff change. Director’s Corner posts are monthly updates from the NICHD director.
Spotlight: Zika Research after Hurricane Maria
Dr. Carmen Zorrilla, who leads NICHD’s Zika in Infants and Pregnancy (ZIP) study in Puerto Rico, reports on how Hurricane Maria affected the Island’s largest hospital in San Juan.
Media Advisory: Air pollution exposure in early pregnancy linked to miscarriage, NIH study suggests
Exposure to common air pollutants, such as ozone and fine particles, may increase the risk of early pregnancy loss, according to an NIH study.
News Release: Obesity during pregnancy may lead directly to fetal overgrowth, NIH study suggests
Obesity during pregnancy—independent of its health consequences such as diabetes—may account for the higher risk of giving birth to an atypically large infant.
Media Advisory: NIH study identifies new targets for anti-malaria drugs
The deadliest malaria parasite needs two proteins to infect red blood cells and exit the cells after it multiplies, a finding that may provide researchers with potential new targets for drug development.
Media Advisory: NIH study identifies brain patterns underlying mothers’ responses to infant cries
Infant cries activate specific brain regions related to movement and speech, according to an NICHD-led study of mothers in 11 countries.
Second trimester weight gain associated with fetal growth in twin pregnancies
A woman’s weight gain in the second trimester of a twin pregnancy is most closely associated with fetal growth and the size of the babies at the time of birth, according to a prospective study by researchers at the NICHD.
High doses of vitamin D3 may decrease bone loss associated with anti-HIV drug
A monthly high dose of vitamin D3 may prevent the loss of bone density often experienced by people taking the anti-HIV drug tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF).
Healthy lifestyle reduces heart attack, stroke risk after gestational diabetes, NIH study shows
Women who have had gestational diabetes may be able to reduce or even eliminate their risk for cardiovascular disease by following a healthy lifestyle in the years after giving birth, according to a study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health.
Ovarian reserve tests fail to predict fertility, NIH-funded study suggests
Tests that estimate ovarian reserve, or the number of a woman’s remaining eggs, before menopause, do not appear to predict short-term chances of conception, according to a National Institutes of Health-funded study of women with no history of infertility.
Certain blood cell pores offer new target for anti-malaria drugs, according to NICHD scientists
The pores created by malaria parasites to exit red blood cells are promising targets for drugs such as heparin, according to an NICHD study.
NIH-funded study to focus on newborns affected by opioids
NIH is funding a new study to evaluate treatment options for newborns with opioid withdrawal syndrome, a condition caused by exposure to opioids during pregnancy.
Researchers identify gene involved in food-dependent Cushing syndrome
The gene responsible for food-triggered Cushing syndrome has been identified by an international team that includes researchers from NICHD.
NICHD research links air pollution and extreme temperature to stillbirth risk
NICHD’s Pauline Mendola examines whether air pollution and extreme temperature increase the risk of stillbirth.
NIH awards nearly $100 million for Autism Centers of Excellence program
The National Institutes of Health has awarded nine research grants totaling nearly $100 million over the next five years for the Autism Centers of Excellence (ACE), a program that supports large research projects aimed at understanding and developing interventions for autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Podcast: Newborn screening saves lives
Virginia mother Jana Monaco describes how newborn screening changed her family's life. Her experience and advocacy helped change the course of knowledge for future generations.
Probiotics may prevent life-threatening infection in newborns
Daily doses of beneficial bacteria, or probiotics, reduced the rate of sepsis—a life-threatening infection of the bloodstream—among newborns in India by 40 percent, according to researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health.
Experimental treatment for Niemann-Pick disease type C1 appears safe, effective
An experimental drug appears to slow the progression of Niemann-Pick disease type C1 (NPC1), a fatal neurological disease, according to results of a
clinical study led by researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The study appears in The Lancet.
Focus on Early Learning
Children start learning long before they start going to school. Find out how you can support your child's learning from birth.
Focus on Caring for Critically Ill Children
NICHD supports research on the unique short- and long-term care needs of children with and recovering from serious and life-threatening illnesses and injuries.
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