A new study suggests that Americans probably gain about a pound during the winter holiday season-but this extra weight accumulates through the years and may be a major contributor to obesity later in life.
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.
Formula Additives Boost Small Children's Intelligence in Study
Adding two substances found in breast milk to infant formula boosted the average intelligence scores in a group of 18-month-old children significantly, according to a study funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD).
NICHD Study Shows Treatment Fails to Prevent Preterm birth
In the largest study of its kind, antibiotic treatment to eliminate bacterial vaginosis failed to prevent premature birth, according to a study supported by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and coauthored by researchers at the NICHD and several other institutions.
Moderate Weight Loss OK for Overweight Moms Who Breast Feed
Overweight mothers who breast feed their infants may lose weight through a sensible diet and exercise program-without fear of harming their infants-a study by NICHD-funded researchers has found.
U.S. 15 Year Olds Less Likely to Watch Television or Smoke Than Children in Many Other Industrialized Countries
Compared to adolescents in other parts of the industrialized world, U.S. students are less likely to watch television.
Gates Foundation & NIH Fund Global Network for Women & Children's Health Research
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) jointly will support an international research network to improve the health of women and children throughout the world.
Study Shows Secretin Fails to Benefit Children with Autism
The first of a number of studies sponsored by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) has shown that treatment with a synthetic version of the hormone secretin offered no more benefit for children with autism than did treatment with a placebo.
Moderate Caffeine Use Does Not Increase Miscarriage Risk But High Caffeine Use Doubles Risk
Consuming the amount of caffeine equivalent to that found in one to two cups of coffee does not appear to increase a pregnant woman's chances of having a miscarriage.
Only Small Link Found between Hours in Child Care & Mother-Child Interaction
The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Study of Early Child Care has established that there is no consistent relation between the hours infants and toddlers spend in child care and these children's cognitive, linguistic or social development.
Back to Sleep Campaign Seeks to Reduce Incidence of SIDS in African American Populations
HHS Secretary Donna E. Shalala and Mrs. Tipper Gore today announced the start of a new component of the successful "Back to Sleep" campaign that will focus on reducing the incidence of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) among African Americans.
NICHD Funded Researchers Discover Gene for Rett Syndrome
Researchers at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and Stanford University have discovered the gene for Rett syndrome, a heartbreaking disorder which gradually robs healthy infant girls of their language, mental functioning, and ability to interact with others.
NIH Awards Additional Funding for New Researchers in Women's Reproductive Health
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded $3.2 million to fund centers that will support early research careers in the field of obstetrics and gynecology.
Research Network Seeks Patients for Infertility Study
Scientists at a research network funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) are seeking infertile couples for a study to investigate whether taking a sample of endometrial tissue is useful for diagnosing and treating infertility.
Maternal Depression Linked with Social & Language Development, School Readiness
Children of depressed mothers performed more poorly on measures of school readiness, verbal comprehension, and expressive language skills at 36 months of age than children of mothers who never reported depression.
Knockout Mouse May Lead to Major Understanding of Human Kidney Disorder
A basic science advance has provided a major clue to the possible cause and treatment of IgA nephropathy, a kidney disorder that affects hundreds of millions of people throughout the world.
Hypothyroidism During Pregnancy Linked to Lower IQ for Child Early Diagnosis & Treatment May Help
Children born to mothers with untreated hypothyroidism during pregnancy score lower on IQ tests than children of healthy mothers, according to a study conducted by Dr. James Haddow and partially funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and reported in the August 19 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
New Analysis Shows that Calcium Does Not Prevent Potentially Fatal Disorder of Pregnancy
A new mathematical analysis of a previous study shows that calcium supplements do not prevent preeclampsia in women at low risk for the condition. Preeclampsia is a dangerous, sometimes fatal, disorder of pregnancy that often strikes without warning.
High HIV RNA Levels Major Risk Factor for Mother-to-Child HIV Transmission
Two studies supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) provide compelling evidence that the amount of HIV in a pregnant woman's blood, known as the maternal HIV viral load, is the prime risk factor for transmitting the virus to her baby.
Blood Chemistry Imbalance Linked to Potentially Fatal Disorder of Pregnancy
Women with preeclampsia, a potentially fatal complication of pregnancy, appear to have an imbalance of two key chemical compounds that control blood pressure, according to a study by researchers at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) published in the July 28 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Teen Smoking, Birth Rates Down Children's & Youths' Diets Need Improvement
America's children are, on average, doing better in several respects than they have in recent years, according to the third annual Federal report, America's Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being.