News & Updates

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.

Individuals born to mothers who smoked during pregnancy and when they were children may be at an increased risk for high blood pressure and diabetes.

A step monitoring program for stroke survivors is more effective at spurring long-term physical activity than the traditional therapy of high-intensity walking. The step program appears to reduce the chances that stroke survivors will become sedentary after their therapy is complete, which increases the risk for future strokes.

A program with intervals of high-intensity walking promotes greater gains in fitness for stroke patients than the currently recommended program of moderate-intensity walking, suggests a study funded by the National Institutes of Health. The study enrolled chronic stroke patients—those at least six months past their stroke—often considered more difficult to rehabilitate than recent stroke patients.

Read about NICHD’s research findings and activities from 2022.

Women with endometriosis may have a higher risk for stroke, suggests a study funded by the National Institutes of Health. The analysis of more than 110,000 women found that compared to women without the condition, women who had been diagnosed with endometriosis had a 34% higher risk for stroke. The study authors concluded that physicians should consider counseling patients with endometriosis about their risk for stroke and other cardiovascular conditions.

Read about NICHD’s research findings and activities from 2021.

The newly published 2021 NIH Research Plan on Rehabilitation reflects advances since the previous plan was released in 2016 and new directions that will help guide rehabilitation research across NIH for the next five years.

NICHD Director Dr. Diana Bianchi is joined by NIH Office of Research on Women’s Health Director Dr. Janine Clayton in assessing the growing maternal health crisis in the United States and describing NIH’s efforts to address it.

Read about the career and achievements of NICHD Deputy Director Dr. Alison Cernich.

2020 was a year filled with many challenges. NICHD remained focused on our core mission, advancing key research in women’s health, reproductive science, rare childhood diseases and many more. Watch the video below and review our research highlights of 2020.

Read about NICHD’s research findings and activities from 2020.

Our National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research has advanced the field with significant achievements over the past 30 years that have improved the health, independence and quality of life of people with disabilities.

The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development recently selected six centers for its Medical Rehabilitation Research Resource Network.

Read about NICHD’s notable research findings and activities from 2019.

Scientists and engineers are pioneering new tools and methods to advance healthcare in revolutionary ways. Learn about emerging technologies funded by NICHD.

NIH invites comments on its Plan of Rehabilitation Research to help update the plan.

Collaboration with CDC aimed at evaluating pregnancy initiatives and outcomes

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

Devices bolster function and ability for people with disabilities or injuries.