A technique using near-infrared light to detect blood oxygen levels in the brain and abdomen may have potential for monitoring the health of preterm infants needing or given a blood transfusion.
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.
Item of Interest: NIH funds new program to prevent, treat HIV among adolescents and young adults in low- and middle-income countries
NIH awarded $50 million for a research program that will identify youth at risk for or with HIV in eight African countries and get them into medical care. The five-year effort will focus on locations with limited research capacity and with populations underrepresented in HIV research, such as sexual and gender minorities, commercial sex workers, and drug users.
Media Advisory: Digital autism screening tool shows promise in NIH-funded study
A tablet-based screening app for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may improve early detection, suggests a study funded by NIH. By accurately identifying toddlers who warrant further investigation for ASD, the app may help health care providers ensure that children and families receive the support they need.
Science Update: Mice models accurately replicate neuronal communication responsible for memory and learning in people, according to NIH study
The properties of neuronal junctions that help form long-term memories and aid in learning are similar between mice and people, according to a new NIH study.
Director's Corner: Addressing the Tragedy of Stillbirth
Each year, more than 20,000 families in the United States experience a stillbirth, the loss of a fetus at 20 weeks or more of gestation. Stillbirth is a traumatic event that takes a devastating, lifelong psychological toll on families. October marks Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, making this an opportune time to reflect on the work we must do to better understand the causes of—and ultimately prevent—these tragedies.
Science Update: NIH-funded study finds several potential risk factors for high blood pressure disorders of pregnancy in people with HIV
The risk for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy was higher for pregnant people with HIV if they had low CD4+ immune cell counts in the first or second trimester, or if they began taking antiretroviral drug regimens after 20 weeks of pregnancy, rather than at conception. The findings underscore the importance of getting HIV under control before becoming pregnant.
Release: NIH designates people with disabilities as a population with health disparities
NIH has designated people with disabilities as a population with health disparities for research. People with disabilities often experience a wide and varying range of health conditions leading to poorer health and shorter lifespan. In addition, discrimination, inequality, and exclusionary structural practices, programs, and policies inhibit access to timely and comprehensive health care, which further results in poorer health outcomes.
Item of Interest: NIH and partners launch public-private effort to advance pediatric medical device development
NIH announced the launch of the design phase of a public-private partnership addressing the lack of medical devices designed and approved for children in the United States. In this initial phase, NIH and partners will develop a detailed plan to build and launch a partnership that will bring together the resources of U.S.
government agencies and private sector organizations, including industry and non-profits.
Science Update: NIH-funded study of mice unravels how infant cries affect maternal hormones
New research in mice illuminates how infant cries activate maternal brain cells to increase release of oxytocin, a hormone that promotes mother-baby bonding. The findings provide a biological explanation for how sensory cues from an infant can help foster maternal behavior.
Release: NIH launches $2 million prize competition to spur innovation in fetal diagnostic and monitoring technologies
NIH will award up to $2 million in cash prizes as part of its Fetal Monitoring Challenge to accelerate development of diagnostic and monitoring technologies that improve fetal health outcomes in low-resource settings. U.S. scientists, engineers, and clinicians can submit innovative approaches and compete for prizes and resources to support technology development and clinical impact, with a focus on point-of-care and home-based diagnostic and monitoring technologies that may reduce fetal health risk and loss during and after birth.
Spotlight: Scientific Advances from the Division of Intramural Research
The Division of Intramural Research provides fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems through basic, clinical, and population-based research.
Science Update: MRI technique may predict impaired fetal growth and small size at birth, NIH-funded study suggests
A new imaging technique that measures the ability of the placenta to supply blood to the fetus may predict the chances of impaired fetal growth as early as the 14th week of pregnancy. The new method seems to allow earlier diagnosis than the standard ultrasound technique, which can detect reductions in placental blood flow at 20 to 24 weeks. Earlier detection of fetal growth restriction and risk of small for gestational age fetuses may lead to strategies for treating these conditions.
Item of Interest: Pediatrician Catherine Gordon appointed director of NICHD’s clinical research program
Catherine Gordon, M.D., M.S., has been appointed clinical director at NICHD. In her new role, she will lead the institute’s intramural clinical research program to improve understanding of the biological, medical, reproductive, and behavioral aspects of typical and atypical human development.
Director's Corner: Addressing the Health Effects of Climate Change
The effects of climate change on health are wide-ranging, from causing injuries and other medical concerns to disrupting vital supply chains. NICHD is committed to supporting scientific research to reduce climate-related health threats among its populations of interest—children, people of reproductive age, and people with intellectual and physical disabilities.
Item of Interest: NICHD renews funding for its Global Network for Women’s and Children’s Health Research
NICHD announced a new cycle of funding for research collaborations in its Global Network for Women’s and Children’s Health Research. The network, which is re-competed every seven years, includes U.S.-based research centers and counterparts in low- and lower middle-income countries. The Global Network has been improving maternal and child health outcomes worldwide and building health research capacity in resource-poor settings since 2001.
Science Update: Fortified human milk may promote growth of preterm infants, according to NIH-funded study
Extremely preterm infants fed fortified human milk grew longer and more rapidly and had larger head circumferences than infants fed unfortified human milk. The findings provide support for future studies on the potential benefits of human milk fortification in preventing malnutrition among infants born at 28 weeks or younger.
Science Update: Children with hereditary developmental disorder have high levels of Alzheimer-associated proteins
Children with creatine transporter deficiency, a hereditary developmental disorder, have higher levels of three proteins that are also found in people with Alzheimer’s disease, according to a small study by researchers at NIH and other institutions. The higher the level of proteins, the lower the children scored on a test of coping behaviors and skills. These findings may help inform diagnostic approaches for the transporter deficiency disorder.
Science Update: Slight menstrual cycle length increase seen with SARS-CoV-2 infection, NIH-funded study suggests
Individuals with COVID-19 may experience a slight increase in menstrual cycle length, comparable to the menstrual cycle increase seen among those who received a COVID-19 vaccine, according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health. The study authors stressed that the increase was small and temporary.
Release: NIH establishes Maternal Health Research Centers of Excellence
NIH has awarded $24 million in first-year funding to establish Maternal Health Research Centers of Excellence. The centers will develop and evaluate innovative approaches to reduce pregnancy-related complications and deaths and promote maternal health equity.
Science Update: NIH-funded researchers discover several differences in endometriosis-related gene expression
The gynecologic condition endometriosis has several differences in gene expression in the uterine lining, according to a comprehensive analysis of nearly 1,000 tissue samples by researchers funded in part by the National Institutes of Health. The differences stem from variations in DNA methylation—the binding of compounds known as methyl groups to DNA.