The NICHD has embarked on a process to develop a scientific vision that sets an ambitious agenda to inspire the NICHD, its many partners and the research community to achieve critical scientific goals and meet pressing public health needs.
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.
Timely Advice on Safe Infant Sleep: Research on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
Recently the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warned against the use of so-called "sleep positioner" products because of the dangers they pose to infants. These warnings serve as timely reminders during this SIDS Awareness Month that although we have learned a great deal about SIDS—the sudden, unexplained death of an infant younger than one year of age—we still have more to learn.
Gene Variations That Alter Key Enzyme Linked to Prostate Cancer
Researchers at the National Institutes of Health have found that variations in a gene for an enzyme involved in cell energy metabolism appear to increase the risk for prostate cancer.
National Children's Study Begins Recruiting At 30 Newly Activated Locations
The National Children's Study has initiated recruitment at 30 study locations around the United States. The Study is the largest long-term study of children's health ever conducted in the United States, and will follow 100,000 children from before birth to age 21 to learn how the environment influences children's health, development, and quality of life. Study researchers seek to enroll women who are pregnant or may become pregnant in the next few years.
Depression High Among Youth Victims of School Cyber Bullying, NIH Researchers Report
Unlike traditional forms of bullying, youth who are the targets of cyber bullying at school are at greater risk for depression than are the youth who bully them, according to a survey conducted by researchers at the National Institutes of Health.
Taking a Stand Against Bullying
As agencies, schools, organizations, and communities work together to take a stand against bullying, they are finding that this seemingly simple problem is actually very complex. For example, new research published in the Journal of Adolescent Health found that those bullied electronically—sometimes called cyber bullying, such as by computer or cell phone—are at high risk for depression .
An Unexpected Benefit & A Cause for Concern
The global elimination of smallpox is one of the best known public health triumphs. Smallpox was a disfiguring and deadly disease caused by a very contagious virus. According to some health experts, smallpox was responsible for more deaths throughout history than all other infectious diseases combined.
NIH Study Shows How Insulin Stimulates Fat Cells to Take in Glucose
Using high-resolution microscopy, researchers at the National Institutes of Health have shown how insulin prompts fat cells to take in glucose in a rat model. The findings were reported in the Sept. 8 issue of the journal Cell Metabolism.
Association between Eelevated Levels of Lead, Cadmium & Delayed Puberty in Girls
Researchers at the National Institutes of Health and other institutions have found that exposure to lead in childhood may delay the onset of puberty in young girls, with higher doses increasing the chance for later maturation.
MOMS: Seeking Moms to Understand Best Treatment for Spina Bifida
Spina bifida, which literally means "split spine," is a complex birth defect that affects three to four out of every 10,000 live births. It occurs when part of the spinal column—which includes the spinal cord, associated nerves, spinal bones, and overlying muscle and skin—does not fully develop or close completely. The most frequent and severe form of spina bifida is called myelomeningocele, which is one of the most common birth defects causing lifelong disability.
Prior Stress Could Worsen Premenstrual Symptoms, NIH Study Finds
Women who report feeling stressed early in their monthly cycle were more likely than those who were less stressed to report more pronounced symptoms before and during menstruation, according to a study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health and other institutions. The association raises the possibility that feeling stressed in the weeks before menstruation could worsen the symptoms typically associated with premenstrual syndrome and menstruation.
NIH-Funded Study finds Outward Knee Alignment increases Arthritis Risk
People with a particular kind of knee alignment have a greater chance of developing osteoarthritis than do those with other types of leg alignment, reported researchers supported by the National Institutes of Health.
NIH Study Indicates Stress May Delay Women Getting Pregnant
A study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health and the University of Oxford supports the widespread belief that stress may reduce a woman's chance of becoming pregnant. The study is the first of its kind to document, among women without a history of fertility problems, an association between high levels of a substance indicative of stress and a reduced chance of becoming pregnant.
Women's Cholesterol Levels Vary with Phase of Menstrual Cycle
National Institutes of Health researchers have shown that women's cholesterol levels correspond with monthly changes in estrogen levels. This natural variation, they suggest, might indicate a need to take into account the phases of a woman's monthly cycle before evaluating her cholesterol measures. On average, the total cholesterol level of the women in the study varied 19 percent over the course of the menstrual cycle.
With Your Help, We Can!
Statistics on overweight and obesity in the United States, especially among young people, are a cause for concern. The most recent data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (2007-2008) indicate that about 17 percent of children ages 2 to 19 years are obese and that an additional 15 percent are considered overweight. Overweight and obese young people are at risk for a variety of health problems, including type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure.
NIH-Funded Researchers Generate Mature Egg Cells From Early Ovarian Follicles
Researchers supported by the National Institutes of Health have for the first time activated mouse egg cells at the earliest stage of their development and brought them to maturity. In a related experiment, the researchers replicated the finding by also bringing human eggs to maturity in the laboratory.
Alan Guttmacher Named Director of NICHD
NIH Director Francis Collins, M.D., Ph.D., announced today that Alan Guttmacher, M.D., will be the new Director of the NICHD. Dr. Guttmacher has been the Acting Director of the NICHD since December 1, 2009.
NIH Director Announces Appointment of Alan Guttmacher as Director of NICHD
National Institutes of Health Director Francis S. Collins M.D., Ph.D., announced today the appointment of Alan E. Guttmacher, M.D as director of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), one of the 27 institutes and centers that comprise the National Institutes of Health. The appointment follows an extensive national search.
Research = Hope
The NICHD has been supporting and conducting research on Fragile X syndrome, the most common inherited form of intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), for many decades. This research has given way to multiple clinical trials of drug treatments for Fragile X, a concept that brings hope to millions of families.
Gene Associated with Rare Adrenal Disorder Appears To Trigger Cell Death, According to NIH Study
A gene implicated in Carney complex, a rare disorder of the adrenal glands, appears to function as a molecular switch to limit cell growth and division, according to a study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health and other institutions. Mice lacking functional copies of the gene in the adrenal glands developed an overgrowth of adrenal tissue and were more susceptible to tumors in the gland.