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.

Science Update: Placental DNA in maternal blood could predict later pregnancy complications, NICHD funded study finds

Traces of genetic material from the placenta and other organs circulating in a pregnant woman’s blood stream could potentially be used to predict the risk for complications in later pregnancy, according to a new NICHD-supported study.

Science Update: DNA sequencing technique helpful for identifying genetic causes of fetal fluid buildup, NIH-funded study suggests

Researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health have used a rapid DNA sequencing technique to identify gene variants in roughly a third of cases of nonimmune Hydrops fetalis (NIHF), a serious condition in which a fetus develops fluid buildup inside the abdominal cavity, lungs, or other parts of the body. The findings suggest that the DNA sequencing technique, known as exome sequencing, could be used to provide information unavailable with current genetic testing methods.

Media Advisory: NIH-supported study to track prevalence and impact of SARS-CoV-2 among pregnant women in low- and middle-income countries

The study of approximately 16,000 pregnant women will continue 12 months after childbirth and compare maternal, fetal and newborn outcomes of participants infected with the virus to those of pregnant women who have not.

Item of Interest: NICHD fetal growth calculators available to healthcare providers

New tools estimate fetal growth percentiles and velocity, and they account for racial and ethnic variations.

Media Advisory: NIH-funded study to investigate pregnancy outcomes resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic

Researchers to evaluate medical records of 21,000 pregnant women

Media Availability: NIH maternal mortality workshop to address conditions that increase the risk of life-threatening pregnancy complications

Program will include lessons learned from caring for pregnant women with COVID-19.

Director’s Corner: Endometriosis Research to Develop Non-Invasive Treatment and Diagnosis

Research on the causes of and effective treatments for endometriosis is a high priority for NICHD. Our grantees share their findings and ongoing research.

Director’s Corner: Advancing Women’s Health: Research to Reduce Maternal Mortality and Morbidity

NICHD is working with the Department of Health and Human Services and the National Institutes of Health to enhance coordinated activities addressing the problem of maternal morbidity and mortality.

Release: NIH scientists link higher maternal blood pressure to placental gene changes

Gene modifications correspond to blood pressure increases at distinct pregnancy intervals.

Release: NIH’s PregSource research project now available in Spanish

To expand the reach of its crowdsourcing pregnancy research project, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) recently launched a Spanish version of PregSource®.

Release: Pregnancy, breastfeeding may lower risk of early menopause, NIH-funded study suggests

Women who breastfed their infants exclusively for 7 to 12 months may have a significantly lower risk of early menopause than their peers who breastfed their infants for less than a month, according to an analysis funded by the National Institutes of Health.

Spotlight: Selected NICHD Research Advances of 2019

Read about NICHD’s notable research findings and activities from 2019.

Spotlight: Healthy Pregnancy for Every Body

NICHD’s new initiative—Pregnancy for Every Body—educates plus-size pregnant women about healthy pregnancy and the importance of working with a healthcare provider to develop a pregnancy plan.

Media Advisory: NIH-funded study shows placenta imaging method may aid early diagnosis of pregnancy complications

A new imaging technique to track maternal blood flow to the placenta has the potential to help diagnose several common complications in early pregnancy, according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health. Researchers used the technique, referred to as pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling magnetic resonance imaging (pCASL MRI), to identify women with reduced placental blood flow who later developed one or more complications.

Science Update: Sleeping position during early and mid pregnancy does not affect risk of complications, NIH-funded study suggests

Sleeping on the back or side through the 30th week of pregnancy does not appear to increase the risk of stillbirth, reduced size at birth, or high blood pressure disorders of pregnancy, suggests an analysis funded by the NICHD.

Science Update: Differences in fatty acid metabolism as early as the first trimester may provide insight into gestational diabetes risk, NIH study suggests

Blood levels of omega-6 fatty acids produced in the body could influence the likelihood of developing gestational diabetes, suggests a study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health and other institutions. However, the researchers found no association with gestational diabetes from consuming foods containing omega-6 fatty acids, such as vegetable oils, nuts, and seeds.

Release: Higher air pollution exposure during second pregnancy may increase preterm birth risk, NIH study suggests

Pregnant women who are exposed to higher air pollution levels during their second pregnancy, compared to their first one, may be at greater risk of preterm birth, according to researchers at the National Institutes of Health.

Media Advisory: NIH scientists call for coordinated research to improve pregnancy-related health in the United States

Improved data reporting among the factors critical to reducing life-threatening complications of pregnancy and childbirth

Science Update: Naltrexone could hold promise for treating opioid use disorder during pregnancy, NICHD-funded study suggests

Infants born to mothers taking the drug naltrexone to treat opioid use disorder showed no signs of drug withdrawal and had shorter hospital stays than infants born to mothers undergoing the standard treatment, according to a small study funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

Release: Elevated blood pressure in first trimester increases risk for blood pressure disorder later in pregnancy

Elevated blood pressure in the first trimester of pregnancy, or an increase in blood pressure between the first and second trimesters, raises the chances of a high blood pressure disorder of pregnancy, 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.
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