News & Updates

Simvastatin, commonly prescribed for reducing cholesterol, may be effective for treating Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome (SLOS), according to a new study from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), part of the National Institutes of Health. The study is the first randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial of a statin drug for SLOS, a rare genetic disease that currently has no cure or approved treatment.

NICHD researchers, along with colleagues from Thailand and Switzerland, discovered a form of osteogenesis imperfecta, or brittle bone disease, resulting from a gene defect on the X chromosome. 

NICHD's Nahida Chakhtoura, M.D., recently returned from Puerto Rico after visiting with NICHD-supported researchers who are studying Zika in pregnancy ​and fetal development. Read more about her trip, the research, and the women she met.​​

Read a selection of past Spotlights featuring the stories of kids and adults whose lives have been enhanced by NICHD-supported research through new treatments, improved patient engagement, and new prevention and intervention campaigns.

For HIV-infected mothers whose immune system is in good health, taking a three-drug antiretroviral regimen during breastfeeding essentially eliminates HIV transmission by breast milk to their infants, according to results from a large clinical trial conducted in sub-Saharan Africa and India.

Couples in which the male partner had high levels of paracetamol in his urine took longer to achieve pregnancy than couples in which the male had lower levels of the compound, according to a preliminary study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health.

According to the 2016 edition of America’s Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, in 2014, the adolescent birth rate was 11 births per 1,000 girls ages 15 to 17 years, down from 12 per 1,000 in 2013. Racial and ethnic disparities in adolescent birth rates also have declined, although substantial differences persist.

Researchers supported by the National Institutes of Health will monitor potential Zika virus exposure among a subset of athletes, coaches and other U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) staff attending the 2016 Summer Olympics and Paralympics in Brazil.

Check out the new “Developing Lifelong Learners” animated videos, with tips for parents on how to build their child’s math, language, and reading skills. The series features advice from early learning experts at NICHD.

Breastfeeding can help optimize your newborn’s health. But challenging circumstances can often bring breastfeeding to a halt. Achieving the recommended 6 months of exclusive breastfeeding for baby often requires a broad network of support from your partner, family, providers, community, and workplace. Read more about common challenges and resources that can help you overcome them.

A subgroup of women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a leading cause of infertility, may produce excess adrenal hormones, according to an early study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health and other institutions.

​The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Fundacao Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz (Fiocruz) begin a multi-country study to evaluate the magnitude of health risks that Zika virus infection poses to pregnant women and their developing fetuses and infants.

Proper maternal folate levels during pregnancy may protect children from a future risk of obesity, especially those born to obese mothers, according to a study funded by NICHD.

Countering the stigma and isolation often felt with depression and anxiety disorders around pregnancy is central to a new initiative launched in May, Moms’ Mental Health Matters.

Overweight and obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) may have a greater chance of becoming pregnant if they lose weight before beginning fertility treatment, according to an analysis of two studies funded by the National Institutes of Health.

Rare tumors called pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas may cause the same symptoms as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children, leading to inappropriate treatment that could worsen their symptoms and potentially endanger their health. That’s the conclusion of a new study by National Institutes of Health researchers who evaluated a group of pediatric patients diagnosed with the tumors.

Zika virus infects and crosses the placentas of pregnant mice and causes severe damage or death in fetal mice, report scientists funded by the National Institutes of Health.

Endometriosis—an often painful gynecologic condition resulting when uterine tissue grows outside of the uterus—may increase the risk for heart disease, according to a study funded by NICHD and the National Cancer Institute.

Researchers have discovered the source of a cell type central to endometriosis, an oftentimes painful disease that occurs when tissue that lines the inside of the uterus grows outside of the uterus.

NICHD Acting Director, Catherine Y. Spong, M.D., an OB/GYN and high-risk pregnancy expert, discusses the challenges of Zika virus, particularly its potential effects on pregnancy and the developing fetus.