The placental membranes that contain the fetus and amniotic fluid lack the messenger RNA (mRNA) molecule required to manufacture the ACE2 receptor, the main cell surface receptor used by the SARS-CoV-2 virus to cause infection, according to a study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health.
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: Drug-containing nanoparticles reduce size of fibroid tumors in mice
In a study of mice, NIH-funded researchers have developed a prototype technique for shrinking uterine fibroids—sometimes painful, noncancerous tumors that form in the uterus. The method involves encasing a tumor-killing drug in nano-sized spheres called liposomes and delivering them directly to the fibroids through the bloodstream. The findings set the stage for studies to determine if the method is safe and effective for treating fibroids in people.
Media Advisory: Genetic analysis suggests distinct subtypes of polycystic ovary syndrome
Polycystic ovary syndrome, an infertility disorder affecting at least 15% of reproductive-age women, may have at least two different subtypes, suggests a study funded by the National Institutes of Health. The findings could provide important information on the possible causes of PCOS and for developing more effective ways to treat the condition.
Release: NIH-funded study links endometriosis to DNA changes
DNA from uterine cells of women with endometriosis has different chemical modifications, compared to the DNA of women who do not have the condition, according to researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health. The changes involve DNA methylation—the binding of compounds known as methyl groups to DNA—which can alter gene activity.
Science Update: Pregnancy, birth complications higher among deaf and hard of hearing women, suggests NIH-funded study
Compared to other women, deaf and hard of hearing women have a higher risk for pregnancy and birth complications such as gestational diabetes and blood pressure disorders, according to a study funded by NIH’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Moreover, infants of deaf and hard of hearing women were more likely to be born preterm, have low birth weight, and receive a low Apgar score—a screening test used to determine the baby’s need for additional medical services.
Release: NIH to test one-dose antibiotic for the prevention of maternal and infant sepsis
Researchers supported by the National Institutes of Health and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will assess whether a single oral dose of the antibiotic azithromycin during labor reduces the risk of maternal and infant bacterial infection and death in seven low- and middle-income countries.
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.
Science Update: Mouse study links exercise during pregnancy to lower risk of obesity in offspring
Exercise during pregnancy stimulates fetal production of brown fat, which boosts metabolism and burns calories, even after birth, suggests a mouse study funded by the National Institutes of Health. When fed a high-fat diet, mice born to mothers who exercised had less weight gain than mice whose mothers did not exercise.
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.
Media Advisory: Maternal obesity linked to ADHD and behavioral problems in children, NIH study suggests
Maternal obesity may increase a child’s risk for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to an analysis by NICHD researchers.
Item of Interest: Stanley Cohen, Nobel Winner and Longtime NICHD Grantee, Dies
NICHD funded Cohen’s award-winning work on growth factors for most of his career.
Media Advisory: Breastfeeding may reduce type 2 diabetes risk among women with gestational diabetes, NIH study suggests
The longer a woman with gestational, or pregnancy-related, diabetes breastfeeds her infant, the lower her risk for developing type 2 diabetes later in life, suggests an analysis by researchers at the National Institutes of Health and other institutions.
Release: Genetic profile may predict chance of type 2 diabetes among women with gestational diabetes
Women who go on to develop type 2 diabetes after having gestational, or pregnancy-related, diabetes are more likely to have particular genetic profiles, suggests an analysis by researchers at the National Institutes of Health and other institutions. The findings provide insight into the genetic factors underlying the risk of type 2 diabetes and may inform strategies for reducing this risk among women who had gestational diabetes.
Media Advisory: Homicide is a leading cause of pregnancy-associated death in Louisiana
Homicide is a leading cause of death among pregnant and postpartum women in Louisiana, according to an analysis of birth and death records from 2016 and 2017. The study, appearing as a research letter in JAMA Pediatrics, was funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), part of the National Institutes of Health.
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: Low-dose aspirin may reduce preterm birth risk among first-time mothers
Daily low-dose aspirin, from as early as the sixth week of pregnancy through the 36th week, may lower the risk for preterm birth among first-time mothers, suggests a study funded by the National Institutes of Health.
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.