News & Updates

Compared to pregnant women with higher vitamin D levels, pregnant women with low vitamin D levels had greater risk of preterm birth. Their infants were also of shorter length.

Even a partial course of steroids for pregnant women at risk of early labor can help a preterm infant’s lungs mature and raise the odds of survival.

Lowering body temperature for preterm infants who experienced oxygen loss to the brain during birth does not benefit preterm infants. Numerous studies had found that the treatment may benefit term infants.

Researchers tested gene therapy in a guinea pig model of fetal growth restriction caused by placental insufficiency, which occurs when the placenta fails to provide enough oxygen and nutrients to the developing fetus. Currently, there is no treatment for this complication.

Failure of the microbiome to fully establish itself in a preterm infant’s digestive system precedes the development of a a life-threatening intestinal condition.

NIH has announced winners of its competition to accelerate the development of diagnostic and monitoring technologies to improve fetal health outcomes.

Our experiences during infancy and childhood affect our health across the lifespan. Through its infant health research, NICHD continues to promote healthy and optimal lives for all children and adolescents, including the tiniest babies.

NIH issued a new report identifying promising research areas to improve understanding of necrotizing enterocolitis, a gastrointenstinal disease affecting preterm infants that increases the risk for serious illness and death.

Umbilical cord milking, a technique to move blood from the umbilical cord to an infant’s body, does not increase the risk for neurodevelopmental disabilities in non-vigorous term infants—those who are limp, pale and with minimal breathing. The technique provides an alternative for delayed cord clamping for when resuscitation efforts are needed as soon as possible.

Blood transfusions for preterm infants to do not appear to increase the risk of a life-threatening intestinal condition, a new study suggests.

The odds of cerebral palsy among surviving preterm infants born before 27 weeks of pregnancy increased by an average of 11% per year and study authors say the increase may reflect improved survival due to advances in infant care.

Children born to mother who received a steroid injection in late pregnancy do not appear to be at risk for adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes. The findings help to allay concerns that the treatment—given to help fetal lungs mature in case of preterm birth—could affect neurodevelopment.

Infants who underwent surgery for inguinal hernia—when intestinal tissue protrudes through an abnormal opening in the abdominal muscles—after discharge had fewer adverse events than those who had surgery while still in the hospital, a study suggests. The findings offer guidance on the best timing to perform this delicate surgery on fragile infants.

NIH has announced finalists in its competition to accelerate the development of diagnostic and monitoring technologies to improve fetal health outcomes.

Compared to formula fed infants, extremely preterm infants fed donated human milk had half the rate of necrotizing enterocolitis, a life threatening condition of the intestines. There were no differences in neurological development between those fed donor milk and those fed formula.

An atlas of the placenta developed by NIH researchers offers insight on the communication that occurs between maternal and fetal cells during labor and delivery.

Pregnant women who tested positive for cannabis use were at 27% higher risk for conditions related to poor placental function—including hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, stillbirth, and growth restriction relative to gestational age—than pregnant women who tested negative.

By late 2022, widespread COVID-19 vaccination of pregnant women likely halted a spike in the preterm birth rate that began at the start of the pandemic, suggests a new study. The findings underscore the need for pregnant women to keep current on COVID-19 vaccination.

Depression in early and mid-pregnancy seems to age the placenta more rapidly than not experiencing depression during pregnancy. Premature placental aging could account for higher rates of low birth weight, preterm birth, blood pressure disorders, diabetes, and other complications linked to depression in pregnancy, underscoring the need to diagnose and treat depression in pregnant women.

Preterm infants who underwent several painful medical procedures in early life may be at high risk for autism spectrum disorders and lower motor and language scores at 18 months of age, suggesting that repeated exposure to pain may affect early brain development. The findings underscore the need to develop more effective pain management procedures for preterm infants.