NICHD’s Pauline Mendola examines whether air pollution and extreme temperature increase the risk of stillbirth.
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.
Malaria drug protects fetal mice from Zika virus, NIH-funded study finds
Hydroxychloroquine, a drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat malaria and certain autoimmune diseases in pregnant women, appears to reduce transmission of Zika virus from pregnant mice to their fetuses, according to a study funded in part by the National Institutes of Health.
NIH launches prospective study of Zika and HIV co-infection during pregnancy
The National Institutes of Health has launched a study to determine the potential risks that infection with the Zika virus might pose for pregnancies in which the mother is also infected with HIV.
News Release: NIH launches PregSource, a crowdsourcing project to better understand pregnancy
PregSource is a research project led by NICHD that aims to improve knowledge of pregnancy by collecting information directly from pregnant women.
NICHD-funded study explores the toll of pediatric trauma
A conversation with Dr. Sheri Crow, a pediatrician specializing in critical care at the Mayo Clinic, about her NICHD-funded research. Dr. Crow has explored the long-term health outcomes of children who experience traumatic injury or a life-threatening illness in early childhood.
Common tests for preterm birth not useful for routine screening of first-time pregnancies
Two methods thought to hold promise in predicting preterm delivery in first-time pregnancies identified only a small proportion of cases and do not appear suitable for widespread screening, according to a large study by a National Institutes of Health research network.
All About Healthy Pregnancy
NICHD research aims to promote healthy pregnancies.
Extreme temperatures may increase risk for low birth weight at term, NIH study suggests
Extreme hot or cold temperatures during pregnancy may increase the risk that infants born at term will be of low birth weight, according to a study of U.S. women by researchers at the National Institutes of Health. The study was published in Environmental Research.
Aspirin may help increase pregnancy chances in women with high inflammation, NIH study finds
A daily low dose of aspirin may help a subgroup of women who have previously lost a pregnancy to successfully conceive and carry a pregnancy to term, according to an analysis by researchers at the National Institutes of Health.
Getting to Know the New NICHD Director
NICHD Director Dr. Diana Bianchi shares some thoughts about joining NICHD.
Even partial steroid treatment can benefit extremely preterm infants, NIH study suggests
Steroids improve survival and reduce the chances of certain complications for extremely premature infants, even if the treatment course is not finished before delivery, according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Azithromycin pretreatment lowers infection rate after C-section, NIH-funded study finds
Treatment with the antibiotic azithromycin before an unplanned cesarean delivery reduces the post-operation infection rate by about 50 percent, compared to the standard treatment, according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health. Results of the study appear in the September 29 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
NIH study links morning sickness to lower risk of pregnancy loss
A new analysis by researchers at the National Institutes of Health has provided the strongest evidence to date that nausea and vomiting during pregnancy is associated with a lower risk of miscarriage in pregnant women.
Extreme temperatures could increase preterm birth risk
Extreme hot or cold temperatures during pregnancy may increase the risk of preterm birth, according to study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health.
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.
Couples’ pre-pregnancy caffeine consumption linked to miscarriage risk
A woman is more likely to miscarry if she and her partner drink more than two caffeinated beverages a day during the weeks leading up to conception, according to a new study from researchers at the National Institutes of Health and Ohio State University, Columbus.
Air pollution linked to higher risk of preterm birth for mothers with asthma
Pregnant women with asthma may be at greater risk of preterm birth when exposed to high levels of certain traffic-related air pollutants, according to a study by researchers at NICHD and other institutions.
Prenatal steroids lower risk of respiratory illness in late preterm infants
Prenatal steroid therapy reduces the chance of respiratory complications among infants born at 34-36 weeks, so-called “late” preterm infants, according to a study by a National Institutes of Health research network.
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.
Scan after newborn cooling treatment predicts outcome at age 6 or 7, NIH study shows
Brain scans taken of newborns who received cooling treatment after blood or oxygen deprivation to the brain can predict the extent of a child’s recovery by 6 or 7 years of age, according to a study by a National Institutes of Health (NIH) research network.