Treating newborns at risk for hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) with a preventive oral dose of the sugar dextrose does not appear to increase their overall risk for neurological or sensory impairment at age 2, suggests a study funded by the National Institutes of Health. However, compared to a similar group of at-risk infants treated with a placebo, children treated as infants had a slightly higher risk of motor delay and slightly lower scores on a test of cognitive, language, and motor skills. The authors concluded that the study may not have included enough participants to detect an increased risk for adverse effects. They urged caution in treating infants at risk for hypoglycemia preventively with dextrose gel and called for future evaluations of the study participants later in childhood.
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: Hydrocortisone does not prevent lung complication in extremely preterm infants
Hydrocortisone is no more effective than placebo at preventing damage that can result from oxygen and ventilator therapy necessary to keep preterm infants alive, according to research funded by the National Institutes of Health. The study of a potential treatment for the condition, known as bronchopulmonary dysplasia, appears in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Science Update: Juice consumption before six months linked to childhood overweight and obesity, NIH study suggests
Children who were first given juice before they were six months old were more likely to have overweight or obesity in early and mid-childhood, compared to kids who were given juice at one year old or later, according to a study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health. The finding provides additional support for a theory that giving young children sweet foods or drinks may foster a preference for sweet tastes that can lead to weight gain later in childhood.
Science Update: COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy may help protect offspring from SARS-CoV-2 through age 6 months, small NIH-funded study suggests
Vaccinating women against SARS-CoV-2 in mid to late pregnancy could provide their infants at least some protection against COVID-19 through six months of age, suggests a small study funded by the National Institutes of Health. Compared to infants born to mothers who had COVID-19 during pregnancy, infants born to vaccinated mothers were much more likely to have antibodies against the virus.
Science Update: Development scores higher for infants born later in term pregnancy, NIH study suggests
On average, scores on development tests were lower for infants born earlier in the range of a term pregnancy—from 37 to 41 weeks—than for those born later in the range, suggests a study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health. The slight difference in scores, first apparent at eight months, persisted through age seven. The findings may have implications for current practice guidelines recommending induction of labor for non-medical reasons at the 39th week of pregnancy.
Media Advisory: SARS-CoV-2 may cause fetal inflammation even in the absence of placental infection
Small NIH study contributes to understanding of COVID-19 during pregnancy.
Media Advisory: Survival rate increases for extremely preterm infants in NIH-funded research network
The survival rate of extremely preterm infants born from 2013 through 2018 in a large network of U.S. research centers improved to 78.3%, compared to 76% for infants born in the network from 2008 to 2012, according to researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health.
Science Update: NIH study identifies potential prenatal risk factors for suicide
An individual’s risk for death by suicide may begin before they are born, suggests a study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health. The authors compared pregnancy and birth records of nearly 50,000 individuals born between 1959 and 1966 to death records through 2016. They found that suicide rates were higher for males, white people, and for those who were among the younger siblings in a family. Other risk factors included having a parent with less than a high school education, having a parent who worked a manual labor job, and having a mother with a high rate of pregnancy complications or who smoked during pregnancy.
Item of Interest: PregSource® Mobile App Allows Access from Anywhere
It just got easier to participate in the PregSource®: Crowdsourcing to Understand Pregnancy research project. The free app allows participants to track their weight, sleep, mood, and other features of their pregnancy in just a few taps.
Director's Corner: Understanding Long COVID in Children
Dr. Bianchi discusses NICHD-led research on long COVID in children.
Item of Interest: Una Grewal Appointed Director of the Division of Population Health Research
Dr. Grewal has been acting director of the division since February 2020.
Science Update: Infants’ brains may respond to faces, other visual stimuli earlier than previously thought, NIH-funded study suggests
Specialized regions in infant brains appear to respond to visual information in much the same way adult brains do, according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health. Located in the visual cortex, these brain regions selectively process faces, bodies, or scenes. Previously, researchers had believed that it took years for these regions to develop before they would function like an adult’s visual cortex. The findings may provide information helpful for understanding disorders in which facial recognition is impaired, such as autism spectrum disorder and bipolar disorder.
Science Update: Infant seizure risk increases after cooling therapy rewarming, NIH-funded study suggests
Newborns who undergo whole body cooling after oxygen deprivation—proven to prevent brain damage and death—have a high risk of seizures during the rewarming phase of the treatment, suggests a study funded by the National Institutes of Health. The findings indicate that infants’ brain waves should be continuously monitored for seizures during rewarming, which may otherwise go undetected and lead to disability or death.
Science Update: Juice consumption before 6 months linked with sweet beverage consumption in later childhood, NIH study suggests
Children who were given juice before they were 6 months old drank more juice and soda, and less water, by early and mid-childhood, on average, than children first given juice at or after 12 months, according to a study conducted by researchers at the National Institutes of Health. The findings support a theory that giving children sweet foods and drinks at an early age fosters a preference for sweet tastes that persists into childhood, increasing the risk for childhood weight gain and tooth cavities.
Science Update: No serious adverse events from COVID-19 vaccine in breastfeeding women or their children, NIH-funded study suggests
No serious adverse events were reported by 180 breastfeeding women receiving either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, either among themselves or in their infants, according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health. For the mothers, adverse events included muscle and body aches, fever and vomiting, pain, redness, swelling, or itching at the injection site.
Science Update: Newborn genome sequencing information does not contribute to family distress, NIH-funded study suggests
Receiving detailed genomic information on their newborn’s potential risks for childhood and adult diseases does not appear to cause distress or anxiety among parents, suggests a study funded by the National Institutes of Health. The findings could help to allay concerns that routinely sequencing newborn genomes to obtain information about their long-term health prospects may be too stressful for families.
Science Update: Maternal antibody treatment fails to reduce infant cytomegalovirus infection, NIH-funded study suggests
An antibody treatment in early pregnancy for women infected with cytomegalovirus does not appear to reduce the risk of infection or death among their newborns, an NIH-funded study suggests. The findings contradict several smaller studies on the treatment, known as hyperimmune globulin, that suggested the treatment was effective.
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.
Item of Interest: How is COVID-19 Affecting Children’s Daily Lives? Preliminary Data Offers Fresh Insight
Preliminary data from NICHD-funded researchers provides caregiver-reported information on how children and teens fared during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Director's Corner: One Year of Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics, and Anticipating New Challenges
Looking back and looking ahead. NICHD Director Dr. Diana W. Bianchi joins other leaders across NIH in reflecting on the work of the Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) program and discussing plans for the future.