News

Over the past year, NICHD contributed to numerous scientific advances and key initiatives.

Blood samples from infants who died of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) had high levels of serotonin, a chemical that carries signals along and between nerves, according to a study funded in part by the National Institutes of Health.

A conversation with Dr. Marian Willinger before her retirement. Dr. Willinger helped launch NICHD’s Safe to Sleep campaign and led research efforts on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, stillbirth and infant health.

NICHD Director Dr. Diana Bianchi shares some thoughts about joining NICHD.

Federal agencies concerned with infant health and welfare today announced their support of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) updated recommendations on safe infant sleep.

Read a selection of past Spotlights featuring the stories of kids and adults whose lives have been enhanced by NICHD-supported research through new treatments, improved patient engagement, and new prevention and intervention campaigns.

Breastfeeding can help optimize your newborn’s health. But challenging circumstances can often bring breastfeeding to a halt. Achieving the recommended 6 months of exclusive breastfeeding for baby often requires a broad network of support from your partner, family, providers, community, and workplace. Read more about common challenges and resources that can help you overcome them.

Following advice to sleep in the same room with their infants —but not in the same bed—does not appear to discourage new mothers from breastfeeding, as some experts had feared, according to a new study funded by the National Institutes of Health.

Wale Olukanmi has spent more than two decades as an oncology nurse and physician's assistant at Children's Hospital Los Angeles. As a medical practitioner and father of four, he thought he was well-informed about the health risks and pitfalls of parenting. Then, he completed an all-day training on safe infant sleep practices, where he learned about Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), the leading cause of death in babies one month to one year of age, and about other sleep-related infant deaths, such as suffocation.

Many new mothers do not receive advice from physicians on aspects of infant care such as sleep position, breastfeeding, immunization and pacifier use, according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health.

In the U.S., more than 3,500 infants die each year from sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS, and from what experts describe as “other sleep-related causes of infant death.” Sparing families this incomprehensible tragedy has been a long-term goal of the National Institutes of Health.

NICHD supports a variety of research projects and networks that are useful to neuroscientists. Find a detailed list here.

The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has launched a Spanish-language website that provides free information on health topics, including maternal and infant care, obesity, HIV/AIDS, fertility/infertility, and pregnancy.

NICHD is now on Pinterest. With about one in four American adults using Pinterest to access and share information, this new page is an opportunity to effectively communicate with the public about NICHD’s important research and educational initiatives.

Nearly 55 percent of U.S. infants are placed to sleep with bedding that increases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS, despite recommendations against the practice, report researchers at the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other institutions.

More than 40 percent of infants in a group who died of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) were found to have an abnormality in a key part of the brain, researchers report. The abnormality affects the hippocampus, a brain area that influences such functions as breathing, heart rate, and body temperature, via its neurological connections to the brainstem. According to the researchers, supported by the National Institutes of Health, the abnormality was present more often in infants who died of SIDS than in infants whose deaths could be attributed to known causes.

NICHD Director Dr. Alan Guttmacher recently published an article in the Huffington Post about the Institute’s efforts to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and promote safe infant sleep. In the article, he highlighted the NICHD’s research activities related to SIDS and the contributions of the NICHD-led Safe to Sleep® campaign, which recently celebrated its 20th anniversary. He also talked about how SIDS has affected his own family.

While the prevalence of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) in the United States has decreased by 50% over the last 20 years, SIDS remains the leading cause of death for U.S. infants 1 month to 1 year of age.1 This SIDS Awareness Month, the NICHD highlights SIDS resources and research to help parents, caregivers, and medical professionals reduce the risk of SIDS.