Sleep disturbances, common in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), do not appear to hinder conception and live birth rates for women undergoing treatment for infertility, suggests a study funded by the National Institutes of Health. In addition, the researchers found that for women with PCOS, insulin resistance—a risk factor for type 2 diabetes—was associated with lower conception and live birth rates.
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: More than two hours of daily screen time linked to cognitive, behavioral problems in children born extremely preterm
Among 6- and 7-year-olds who were born extremely preterm—before the 28th week of pregnancy—those who had more than two hours of screen time a day were more likely to have deficits in overall IQ, executive functioning (problem solving skills), impulse control and attention, according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health.
Science Update: NIH-funded data resource advances understanding of diseases identified by newborn screening
A data resource established with NICHD funding is helping advance research to understand and improve health outcomes for babies with rare genetic diseases identified by newborn screening.
Science Update: Home visit program after birth may reduce incidence of child maltreatment, NIH study suggests
A program providing new parents with one to three home visits from a nurse soon after the birth of a child was associated with 39% fewer child protective service investigations for maltreatment through age five, compared to parents who received usual newborn services, according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health. Families receiving the visits also had 33% fewer emergency department visits.
Release: NIH COVID-19 testing initiative funds additional research projects to safely return children to in-person school
The National Institutes of Health is funding five additional projects to identify ways of safely returning students and staff to in-person school in areas with vulnerable and underserved populations. The awards are the second installment of the Safe Return to School Diagnostic Testing Initiative, launched earlier this year as part of the NIH Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics Underserved Populations (RADx-UP) program. The new awards will provide up to $15 million over two years for five projects in California, Arizona, Hawaii, Nebraska and Florida. The 8 initial awards, totaling $33 million over two years, were made in April 2021.
Release: NIH data challenge seeks innovative methods for identifying complication risks in first-time pregnancies
The National Institutes of Health will award up to $400,000 to individuals or groups who design an effective method for analyzing a large data set of first-time pregnancies and identifying risk factors for adverse outcomes, such as hypertensive disorders, diabetes and infection. A total of $50,000 will be awarded to each of seven winners designing the most effective means to analyze the data. An additional $10,000 will be awarded to the top five winners whose methods identify risk factors in disadvantaged populations.
Director's Corner: We STRIVE to Do Better
Dr. Bianchi reflects on the life and contributions of Eunice Kennedy Shriver ahead of Mrs. Shriver’s 100th birthday and how improving equity, diversity, and inclusion at NICHD continues Mrs. Shriver’s work.
Science Update: NIH-funded study confirms safety of aspirin to reduce preterm birth risk in low- and middle-income countries
An analysis funded by the National Institutes of Health confirmed the safety of daily low-dose aspirin to prevent preterm birth in first-time mothers with a singleton pregnancy in low- and middle-income countries. Compared to the placebo group, those in the aspirin group were no more likely to require an unexpected emergency medical visit or to experience any side effects, other than a mild skin rash.
Media Advisory: Prototype device may diagnose common pregnancy complications by monitoring placental oxygen
Researchers at the National Institutes of Health have developed a prototype device that could potentially diagnose pregnancy complications by monitoring the oxygen level of the placenta.
Science Update: Adopting national standards reduces pediatric deaths in emergency departments, according to NIH-and HRSA-funded study
A federally funded study has verified that a set of measures designed to improve treatment of children in hospital emergency departments helps to reduce the pediatric death rate in these centers. Compared to children treated in emergency departments that scored lowest on implementing the measures, children treated in emergency departments that scored highest were 42% less likely to die. The authors concluded that the findings support emergency departments adopting these standards to improve care for children.
Release: NIH researchers identify potential new antiviral drug for COVID-19
The experimental drug TEMPOL may be a promising oral antiviral treatment for COVID-19, suggests a study by researchers at NIH.
Science Update: Preterm birth risk increased among pregnant women at time of Kennedy assassination, according to NIH study
Women in the first trimester of pregnancy when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963 were more likely to deliver preterm compared to women who gave birth before the assassination, according to an analysis by NIH-funded researchers. The findings suggest that experiencing a sudden stress early in pregnancy may increase the risk of adverse birth outcomes.
Media Advisory: Healthy diet before and during pregnancy linked to lower risk of complications, NIH study suggests
A healthy diet around the time of conception through the second trimester may reduce the risk of several common pregnancy complications, suggests a study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health.
Media Advisory: Open, expressive family life may reduce effects of social deprivation among adopted children
An environment in which family members support one another and express their feelings can reduce the effects of social deprivation on cognitive ability and development among adopted children, suggests a small study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health. In contrast, rule-driven households where family members are in conflict may increase an adopted child’s chances for cognitive, behavioral and emotional difficulties.
Media Advisory: Higher dose of DHA associated with lower early preterm birth rate, NIH-funded study finds
Women assigned to 1,000 mg of an omega-3 fatty acid, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), daily in the last half of pregnancy had a lower rate of early preterm birth (<34 weeks gestation) than women who took the standard dose of 200 mg, found in many prenatal supplements, according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health. Women who entered the study with low baseline DHA levels had the greatest reduction in early preterm birth.
Release: Eating habits change only slightly after gestational diabetes diagnosis, NIH study suggests
Pregnant women made only modest dietary changes after being diagnosed with gestational diabetes, according to a study by NICHD researchers.
Director's Corner: A Mother’s Day Message: Time for Action to Improve Maternal Health
NICHD Director Dr. Diana Bianchi is joined by NIH Office of Research on Women’s Health Director Dr. Janine Clayton in assessing the growing maternal health crisis in the United States and describing NIH’s efforts to address it.
Science Update: NIH-funded study raises possibility that outermost placental cells may halt spread of SARS-CoV-2
Trophoblasts—the outermost fetal cells of the placenta—may be able to contain SARS-CoV-2 and prevent it from spreading to the fetus even though these cells appear to be susceptible to infection by the virus, a study by NIH-funded researchers suggests. Further research into how trophoblasts might contain the virus could lead to ways to prevent COVID-19 in children and adults. The findings may also lead to insights on why fetuses are only rarely infected with SARS-CoV-2.
Media Advisory: New ultrasound technique detects fetal circulation problems in placenta
A team of researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health has developed a new ultrasound technique to monitor the placenta for impaired fetal blood flow early in pregnancy. The technique, which uses conventional ultrasound equipment, relies on subtle differences in the pulsation of fetal blood through the arteries at the fetal and placental ends of the umbilical cord, potentially enabling physicians to identify placental abnormalities that impair fetal blood flow and, if necessary, deliver the fetus early.
Media Advisory: NIH study identifies diverse spectrum of neurons that govern movement
Mouse study provides atlas to pinpoint neurons involved in neurodegenerative diseases.