NICHD News Releases

A molecular explanation for age-related fertility decline in women
Scientists supported by the National Institutes of Health have a new theory as to why a woman’s fertility declines after her mid-30s. They also suggest an approach that might help slow the process, enhancing and prolonging fertility.

Research Funding News: New policy on NIH grant awards, new NICHD funding strategies
A new policy has been posted on the NIH Web site regarding NIH Fiscal Operations for the remainder of FY 2013 in light of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013 (P.L. 113-6), signed by President Obama on March 26, 2013, and the sequestration provisions of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act.

Flu in pregnancy may quadruple child’s risk for bipolar disorder
Pregnant mothers’ exposure to the flu was associated with a nearly fourfold increased risk that their child would develop bipolar disorder in adulthood, in a study funded by the National Institutes of Health. The findings add to mounting evidence of possible shared underlying causes and illness processes with schizophrenia, which some studies have also linked to prenatal exposure to influenza.

Progress on Pelvic Floor Disorders (PFDs)
In observance of National Women’s Health Week, the NICHD looks back at 15 years of research on PFDs.

Just in Time for Mother’s Day: Let the Baby Set the Delivery Date!
The NICHD’s National Child and Maternal Health Education Program and its coordinating committee members unite to let mothers know that they should wait until at least 39 weeks to deliver their babies unless medically necessary.

Teaching Youth to be Media Smart
The NICHD’s Media-Smart Youth: Eat, Think, and Be Active® program teaches young people how to be smart media consumers and make good choices about nutrition and physical activity.

'Preventing shaken baby syndrome' topic of NICHD April podcast
In the April NICHD Research Perspectives, NICHD director Dr. Alan E. Guttmacher talks with researchers about recognizing the forerunners of shaken baby syndrome and other forms of infant abuse, and how episodes of such abuse can be prevented.

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month
This April, the NICHD joins in efforts to raise awareness about preventing child abuse and neglect during National Child Abuse Prevention Month.

Anti-HIV therapy appears to protect children’s hearts, NIH network study shows
For children who have had HIV-1 infection since birth, the combination drug therapies now used to treat HIV appear to protect against the heart damage seen before combination therapies were available, according to researchers in a National Institutes of Health network study.

Harnessing Research to Combat Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)
STDs and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) have affected health and human relationships throughout history. For STD Awareness Month this April, the NICHD highlights some of its research efforts related to STDs and STIs.

Global Consortium Identifies Best Management of Endometriosis
The World Endometriosis Society Consortium, a global collaboration that includes experts from and grantees of the NICHD, has published a consensus statement about the best ways to manage endometriosis.

Drug safety for children and pregnant women topic of March NICHD Director’s Podcast
Once the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approves a drug, physicians can use their best judgment to prescribe it to their patients—whether or not their patients are similar to those who took part in the clinical trials. Physicians can also prescribe drugs for diseases or conditions other than those for which they were originally tested.

Stressful life events may increase stillbirth risk, NIH network study finds
Pregnant women who experienced financial, emotional or other personal stress in the year before their delivery had an increased chance of having a stillbirth, say researchers who conducted a National Institutes of Health network study.

XLNT! The Text4baby Program Celebrates 3 Years
In only a few years, the text4baby program has grown to more than 500,000 subscribers. This evidenced-based text messaging service allows for new moms and new moms-to-be to get timely health information and encourages them to follow prenatal and postnatal care recommendations.

Delay in shifting gaze linked to early brain development in autism
At 7 months of age, children who are later diagnosed with autism take a split second longer to shift their gaze during a task measuring eye movements and visual attention than do typically developing infants of the same age, according to researchers supported by the National Institutes of Health.

March Is Trisomy Awareness Month
The term “trisomy” refers to conditions characterized by having 3 copies of a chromosome, instead of the usual 2-copy pair. An extra chromosome causes health problems ranging from mild intellectual and developmental disability, to severe physical problems. During Trisomy Awareness Month, the NICHD highlights the important role research plays in helping families and patients address challenges associated with trisomy conditions, such as Down syndrome.

Toddler ‘Functionally Cured’ of HIV Infection, NIH-Supported Investigators Report
A two-year-old child born with HIV infection and treated with antiretroviral drugs beginning in the first days of life no longer has detectable levels of virus using conventional testing despite not taking HIV medication for 10 months, according to findings presented today at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) in Atlanta.

February is International Prenatal Infection Prevention Month
The NICHD supports a number of efforts to help prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV and other infections during pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding, both in the United States and in other countries. Current NICHD-supported studies are exploring better methods of prevention and treatment of these infectious diseases.

First grade math skills set foundation for later math ability
Children who failed to acquire a basic math skill in first grade scored far behind their peers by seventh grade on a test of the mathematical abilities needed to function in adult life, according to researchers supported by the National Institutes of Health.

February Is National Children’s Dental Health Month
During National Children’s Dental Health Month, the NICHD reminds parents and caregivers that developing healthy habits goes beyond proper brushing and flossing and regular dental care. Balanced nutrition—especially getting enough calcium—can help children achieve a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums.