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.
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.
NIH-led workshop addresses opioid misuse during pregnancy
Experts convened for an NICHD workshop identified research gaps and opportunities to improve outcomes for women affected by opioid use disorder, their newborn infants and their families.
News Release: NIH launches PregSource, a crowdsourcing project to better understand pregnancy
PregSource is a research project led by NICHD that aims to improve knowledge of pregnancy by collecting information directly from pregnant women.
Neuroimaging technique may help predict autism among high-risk infants
An imaging technique called fcMRI may predict which high-risk, 6-month old infants will develop autism spectrum disorder by age 2 years, according to an NICHD-funded study.
NIH-led task force to address research needs of pregnant women and nursing mothers
A new task force created by the 21st Century Cures Act and led by NICHD will advise the Secretary of Health and Human Services on research needed to optimize therapies for pregnant women and nursing mothers. The first meeting will be held on August 21-22, 2017 at NIH.
Collaborative HIV program improves long-term care for youths in the United States
A pilot program to help teens and young adults with HIV navigate the health care system raised the percentage of youths who remained in care compared to national estimates, according to a study funded by NIH.
Blood test may detect bleeding in the infant brain after abusive head trauma
An NIH-funded study shows promise in developing biomarker-based tool.
NICHD-funded study explores the toll of pediatric trauma
A conversation with Dr. Sheri Crow, a pediatrician specializing in critical care at the Mayo Clinic, about her NICHD-funded research. Dr. Crow has explored the long-term health outcomes of children who experience traumatic injury or a life-threatening illness in early childhood.
Long-time NICHD grantee wins Saint Patrick’s Day Medal
A long-time grantee of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) has been awarded the St. Patrick’s Day Science Medal from Science Foundation Ireland for developing statistical methods that account for uncertainty when forecasting population changes.
Common tests for preterm birth not useful for routine screening of first-time pregnancies
Two methods thought to hold promise in predicting preterm delivery in first-time pregnancies identified only a small proportion of cases and do not appear suitable for widespread screening, according to a large study by a National Institutes of Health research network.
No benefit in treating mildly low thyroid function in pregnancy, NIH Network study finds
There appears to be no benefit to treating mildly low thyroid function during pregnancy, according to a study by a National Institutes of Health research network.
NIH workshop identifies complex health problems among Zika-affected infants
Children exposed to Zika virus in the womb may face complex health and developmental problems as they grow older, according to discussions at an NIH workshop.
Survival rate may be improving for extremely preterm infants
Very early preterm infants are more likely to survive than in previous years, and the survivors are less likely to have neurological problems, according to an analysis of records from a National Institutes of Health research network.
Early brain changes may help predict autism among high-risk infants
Brain changes at age 6 or 12 months may help predict the development of autism spectrum disorder by age 2 years among infants with a high family risk, according to a study funded by NICHD.
NIH-funded project leads to FDA-approved newborn screening device
A newborn screening device, developed with funding from NICHD's Small Business Innovation Research program, received de novo clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the detection of lysosomal storage disorders, which injure the brain and nervous system.
Home-visit program in child maltreatment cases strengthens parent-child interaction
Parents previously investigated for child abuse, showed more positive responses to their baby’s social and emotional needs after completing a home-visit program, according to a study supported by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.
Experimental therapy for Prader-Willi syndrome shows promise in mice
Drugs capable of activating silenced genes improve survival and growth outcomes in a mouse model of Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS), a rare and incurable childhood disease that can lead to life-threatening obesity.
Children’s high blood pressure underdiagnosed and undertreated in the United States
Hypertension and prehypertension may be undiagnosed and untreated among U.S. children and youth, despite repeated high blood pressure readings in doctor’s offices, according to an analysis of nearly 400,000 medical records.
Childhood brain injury linked to adult psychiatric illness, earlier death
Young people who sustain a traumatic brain injury before the age of 25 may be more likely experience a psychiatric illness and die earlier than those who have not had such an injury, according to an analysis funded by the National Institutes of Health. The researchers also found that those who had a head injury may complete fewer years of school and are more likely receive a disability pension.
Kids diagnosed, treated for depression should be monitored for weight gain, NIH-funded researchers suggest
Children and youth diagnosed with depression, and those taking antidepressants, should be monitored and potentially treated to prevent excess weight gain. This is the conclusion of researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health, who observed progressive weight gain among children and older teens diagnosed with depression and those taking antidepressants.