A year-round preventive drug treatment substantially reduces young children’s risk of contracting malaria and poses no serious risk of adverse events, according to a study by researchers funded by the National Institutes of 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.
Common gene variants account for most genetic risk for autism
Most of the genetic risk for autism comes from versions of genes that are common in the population rather than from rare variants or spontaneous glitches, researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health have found. Heritability also outweighed other risk factors in this largest study of its kind to date.
Young adults more likely to attend college
American young adults are more racially and ethnically diverse, more likely to graduate from high school, and attend college, and less likely to smoke than previous generations, according to a report by the Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics. However, the young adults have more student debt than generations past, earn less than their counterparts in the year 2000, and more than 1 in 5 are obese, the report says.
New treatment increases pregnancy rate for women with infertility disorder
The drug letrozole appears to be more effective than the standard drug clomiphene for helping women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) to achieve pregnancy, according to a large study from a research network supported by the National Institutes of Health.
"Cool" Kids More Likely to Have Problems as Young Adults
A new study has found that it’s not so cool to have been cool after all. When they reached adulthood, a sample of formerly cool kids were much more likely than their uncool peers to have relationship problems, major problems with alcohol and substance use, and even to have run afoul of the law.
NICHD announces the implementation of a "select pay" funding policy
Funds are available to support meritorious applications of high general programmatic significance or that focus on the recently announced high priority topics identified by the NICHD Vision process.
Dr. Lisa Halvorson New Chief of Gynecologic Health and Disease Branch
Lisa M. Halvorson, M.D., has been named the new Chief of the Gynecologic Health and Disease Branch (GHDB), effective June 15, 2014, announced Dr. Catherine Spong, M.D., Director of the Division of Extramural Research.
Early childhood education programs linked to improved adult health
Researchers publishing in Science have found that disadvantaged children who attended a high-quality early childhood development program had, on average, become much healthier adults than those without the benefit of such a program.
Podcast: Mothers pass smoking on to daughters
NIH-funded analysis identifies patterns of nicotine use across generations.
Gene linked to excess male hormones in female infertility disorder
A variant in a gene active in cells of the ovary may lead to the overproduction of androgens—male hormones similar to testosterone— occurring in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), according to scientists funded by the National Institutes of Health. The discovery may provide information to develop a test to diagnose women at risk for PCOS and also for the development of a treatment for the condition.
Podcast: Lactation consultants increase breastfeeding rate
NIH funded study shows mothers breastfeed longer after consultant visits.
Podcast: Low birthweight could complicate drug response later in life
NIH-funded study finds low birthweight could reduce overall effectiveness of drug treatments.
Join NICHD on April 23 for a Twitter chat on Infertility
For National Infertility Awareness Week, this April 20–26, the NICHD joins the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health (OWH), the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), and RESOLVE: The National Infertility Organization for a Twitter chat on infertility.
Podcast: Childhood obesity often starts before the age of 5
NIH-funded study finds primary risk of obesity among children who enter kindergarten overweight.
Two surgeries for pelvic prolapse found similarly effective, safe
Two surgical treatments for a form of pelvic hernia affecting women have similar rates of success and safety, scientists in a National Institutes of Health research network have found. A guided exercise therapy to strengthen pelvic muscles did not add to the benefits of either surgery.
Podcast: Good home environment protects youth against stress
NIH funded study finds protection from stress reduces health problems.
Public Comment: DRAFT NIH Research Plan on Down Syndrome 2014
The NIH Down Syndrome Working Group, formed in 2006 and led by the NICHD, aims to coordinate ongoing and new research related to Down syndrome across the NIH.
Podcast: Stress response varies by race, ethnicity
Young parents in poverty are disproportionately affected by stress.
Youth born with HIV may have higher heart disease risk, NIH network study shows
Nearly half of adolescents who have had HIV since birth may be at increased risk for cardiovascular disease — including heart attack and stroke — later in life, according to a National Institutes of Health network study.
NIH research network finds many youth have high levels of HIV
More than 30 percent of young males who had sex with other males and who were subsequently enrolled in a government treatment and research network were found to have high levels of HIV, reported researchers from the National Institutes of Health and other institutions.