News & Updates

NICHD issues Releases and Media Advisories to the news media. Science Updates and Spotlights explain NICHD research findings and public health issues to the general public. An Item of Interest is a short announcement such as an initiative launch or a notable staff change. Director’s Corner posts are monthly updates from the NICHD director.

Topic:

Year:

Second trimester weight gain associated with fetal growth in twin pregnancies

A woman’s weight gain in the second trimester of a twin pregnancy is most closely associated with fetal growth and the size of the babies at the time of birth, according to a prospective study by researchers at the NICHD.

Healthy lifestyle reduces heart attack, stroke risk after gestational diabetes, NIH study shows

Pregnant woman with health care provider

Women who have had gestational diabetes may be able to reduce or even eliminate their risk for cardiovascular disease by following a healthy lifestyle in the years after giving birth, according to a study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health.

Socioeconomic disadvantage linked to immune activity during pregnancy

Infants born to mothers in poverty had a greater chance of developing neurological problems within the first year of life, according to a study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Harvard University.

Pregnancy diet high in refined grains could increase child obesity risk by age 7, NIH study suggests

Children born to women with gestational diabetes whose diet included high proportions of refined grains may have a higher risk of obesity by age 7, compared to children born to women with gestational diabetes who ate low proportions of refined grains, according to results from a National Institutes of Health study.

Drinking diet beverages during pregnancy linked to child obesity, NIH study suggests

Children born to women who had gestational diabetes and drank at least one artificially sweetened beverage per day during pregnancy were more likely to be overweight or obese at age 7, compared to children born to women who had gestational diabetes and drank water instead of artificially sweetened beverages, according to a study led by researchers at the National Institutes of Health.

Impulsive personality linked to risky driving among certain young adults, NIH study finds

Hands holding car steering wheel while clutching liquor bottle.

At-risk young adults who scored higher than their peers on a questionnaire that measures impulsive personality traits had a higher chance of engaging in reckless and impaired driving, according to a study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health and other institutions.

Extreme temperatures may increase risk for low birth weight at term, NIH study suggests

Extreme hot or cold temperatures during pregnancy may increase the risk that infants born at term will be of low birth weight, according to a study of U.S. women by researchers at the National Institutes of Health. The study was published in Environmental Research.

Aspirin may help increase pregnancy chances in women with high inflammation, NIH study finds

pregnant woman reviewing ultrasound scans

A daily low dose of aspirin may help a subgroup of women who have previously lost a pregnancy to successfully conceive and carry a pregnancy to term, according to an analysis by researchers at the National Institutes of Health.

Couples with obesity may take longer to achieve pregnancy, NIH study suggests

Couples in which both partners are obese may take from 55 to 59 percent longer to achieve pregnancy, compared to their non-obese counterparts, according to a study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health.

Parental obesity linked to delays in child development, NIH study suggests

Children of obese parents may be at risk for developmental delays, according to a study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health.

Cigarette smoking during pregnancy linked to changes in baby’s immune system

Infants whose mothers smoked cigarettes throughout pregnancy had higher levels of an inflammation marker called interleukin-8 at birth, according to an NICHD study.

NIH study links morning sickness to lower risk of pregnancy loss

A new analysis by researchers at the National Institutes of Health has provided the strongest evidence to date that nausea and vomiting during pregnancy is associated with a lower risk of miscarriage in pregnant women.

Depression in early pregnancy linked to gestational diabetes, NIH study finds

nurse taking information from a pregnant woman

Researchers at the National Institutes of Health have discovered a two-way link between depression and gestational diabetes. Women who reported feeling depressed during the first two trimesters of pregnancy were nearly twice as likely to develop gestational diabetes, according to an analysis of pregnancy records.

Extreme temperatures could increase preterm birth risk

Extreme hot or cold temperatures during pregnancy may increase the risk of preterm birth, according to study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health.

High levels of urinary paracetamol may impair male fertility, NIH study suggests

Couples in which the male partner had high levels of paracetamol in his urine took longer to achieve pregnancy than couples in which the male had lower levels of the compound, according to a preliminary study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health.

Proper maternal folate level may reduce child obesity risk

Mother and child with healthcare provider.

Proper maternal folate levels during pregnancy may protect children from a future risk of obesity, especially those born to obese mothers, according to a study funded by NICHD.

Healthy diet may reduce high blood pressure risk after gestational diabetes, NIH study suggests

Sticking to a healthy diet in the years after pregnancy may reduce the risk of high blood pressure among women who had pregnancy-related (gestational) diabetes, according to a study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health and other institutions.

Couples’ pre-pregnancy caffeine consumption linked to miscarriage risk

A woman is more likely to miscarry if she and her partner drink more than two caffeinated beverages a day during the weeks leading up to conception, according to a new study from researchers at the National Institutes of Health and Ohio State University, Columbus.

NICHD Invites Researchers to Share Their Data through Online Resource

Researchers may now add data from NICHD-funded studies directly to the NICHD Data and Specimen Hub (DASH).

Air pollution linked to higher risk of preterm birth for mothers with asthma

Pregnant women with asthma may be at greater risk of preterm birth when exposed to high levels of certain traffic-related air pollutants, according to a study by researchers at NICHD and other institutions.

Breadcrumb

News & Updates