Getting to Know the New NICHD Director
NICHD Director Dr. Diana Bianchi shares some thoughts about joining NICHD.
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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.
NIH funds research network focused on HIV-infected youth
The National Institutes of Health has awarded funding for a research network devoted to the health and well-being of adolescents and young adults with HIV or at risk for HIV infection.
Research Roundup: Here’s How NICHD Research Is Improving Patients’ Lives
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.
HIV therapy for breastfeeding mothers can virtually eliminate transmission to babies
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.
Outcomes for Orphans in Low- and Middle-Income Countries Consistent, Regardless of Care Setting
As part of an NICHD-supported study, researchers found that the outcomes of orphaned and abandoned children in low- and middle-income countries are similar whether they live in group homes or family-based settings.
Ebola Outbreak Highlights Needs of Infants, Children, and Pregnant Women as Research Priority
While the imminent threat of a global Ebola epidemic has faded, the impact of the outbreak in West Africa was severe, and its effects will continue to be felt for years to come. The virus ravaged communities in Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone, leaving more than 11,000 people dead.
NICHD Invites Researchers to Share Their Data through Online Resource
Researchers may now add data from NICHD-funded studies directly to the NICHD Data and Specimen Hub (DASH).
Vaginal Ring Provides Partial Protection from HIV in Large Multinational Trial
A ring that continuously releases an experimental antiretroviral drug in the vagina safely provided a modest level of protection against HIV infection in women, a large clinical trial in four sub-Saharan African countries has found.
Selected NICHD Research Advances of 2015
Over the past year, NICHD contributed to numerous scientific advances and key initiatives.
HIV Transmission from Mother to Child: From Epidemic to Near Elimination
Children are most likely to get HIV from their mothers in one of three ways: in the womb, during birth, or from breastfeeding or breast milk. NICHD research has helped establish safe and effective ways to prevent this type of HIV transmission. Check out our infographic to learn more.
Anti-HIV drug for adults is safe, effective in children exposed to nevirapine in the womb
HIV-infected children exposed in the womb to nevirapine, a drug used to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission, can safely and effectively transition to efavirenz, a similar drug recommended for older children and adults, according to a study funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), part of the National Institutes of Health.
Two doses of chickenpox vaccine confer long-term protection in children on anti-HIV therapy
Children infected with HIV since birth benefit from two doses of the chickenpox vaccine, particularly when the first dose is given at least three months after the initiation of anti-HIV treatment, according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Church programs increase HIV testing, treatment in rural Nigeria, NIH study finds
In an effort to boost HIV testing, as well as the use of anti-HIV therapy among pregnant women in rural villages, researchers supported in part by NICHD assessed the effectiveness of a church-based screening program in Southern Nigeria.
Drug used to treat HIV linked to lower bone mass in newborns
Infants exposed in the womb to a drug used to treat HIV and reduce the transmission of HIV from mother to child, may have lower bone mineral content than those exposed to other anti-HIV drugs, according to a National Institutes of Health study.
NICHD Launches New Data Sharing Resource to Accelerate Scientific Findings, Improve Health
NICHD recently launched the NICHD Data and Specimen Hub (DASH), a centralized resource for researchers to store and access de-identified data from NICHD-funded research studies for secondary research use.
Large percentage of youth with HIV may lack immunity to measles, mumps, rubella
Between one-third and one-half of individuals in the United States who were infected with HIV around the time of birth may not have sufficient immunity to ward off measles, mumps, and rubella—even though they may have been vaccinated against these diseases. This estimate, from a National Institutes of Health research network, in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is based on a study of more than 600 children and youth exposed to HIV in the womb.
Exploring Population Dynamics
NICHD’s Population Dynamics Branch supports research on a range of topics, including the factors that make populations rise and fall, such as fertility and mortality. We checked in with branch chief Rebecca Clark to learn more about the branch’s work.
NIH launches new Spanish-language site for child health and human development
The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has launched a Spanish-language website that provides free information on health topics, including maternal and infant care, obesity, HIV/AIDS, fertility/infertility, and pregnancy.
For most children with HIV and low immune cell count, cells rebound after treatment
Most children with HIV who have low levels of a key immune cell eventually recover levels of this cell after beginning treatment, according to a study by researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health.
Anti-herpes drug may help control HIV, NIH study finds
Valacyclovir, a drug commonly used to control the virus that causes genital herpes, appears to reduce the levels of HIV in patients who do not have genital herpes, according to a study by researchers from the National Institutes of Health, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Emory University, Atlanta and Lima, Peru.
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