News & Updates

Newborn infants are capable of a simple form of learning while they're asleep, according to a study by researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health. The finding may one day lead to a test that can identify infants at risk for developmental disorders that do not become apparent until later in childhood.

Two findings from an NIH research network study provide new information on how much oxygen very preterm infants should receive starting on the first day of life and the most effective means to deliver it to them.

Teens who were in high-quality child care settings as young children scored slightly higher on measures of academic and cognitive achievement and were slightly less likely to report acting-out behaviors than peers who were in lower-quality child care arrangements during their early years, according to the latest analysis of a long-running study funded by the National Institutes of Health.

The Division’s research programs address topics ranging from molecular and cellular biology, genetics, and endocrine and genetic disorders, to physical biology, neurosciences, immunology, reproduction, and behavioral research. Its projects are organized around the theme of the orchestration of life by molecular messengers.

Endometrial stem cells injected into the brains of mice with a laboratory-induced form of Parkinson's disease appeared to take over the functioning of brain cells eradicated by the disease.

Alan Guttmacher, M.D., Acting Director of the NICHD, issued the following statement regarding events to commemorate the lifelong accomplishments of Dr. Dorothy Height.

Working with mice, a team of researchers has pinpointed the location of bone generating stem cells in the spine, at the ends of shins, and in other bones. The team also has identified factors that control the stem cells' growth. The research was conducted at the National Institutes of Health and other institutions.

Contrary to what researchers had previously believed, most young women and girls who experience a menopause-like condition called primary ovarian insufficiency still have immature eggs in their ovaries, according to a study by scientists at the National Institutes of Health.

Findings from an NICHD study indicate that, compared to women at normal weight, women who are obese before pregnancy are much more likely to have babies with congenital heart defects, problems with the heart’s structure that are present at birth.

The more obese a woman is when she becomes pregnant, the greater the likelihood that she will give birth to an infant with a congenital heart defect, according to a study conducted by researchers at the National Institutes of Health and the New York state Department of Health.

Taking vitamin C and E supplements starting in early pregnancy does not reduce the risk for the hypertensive disorders and their complications that occur during pregnancy, according to a study by a National Institutes of Health research network.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)1, more than 1.25 million children in the United States experiences maltreatment between 2005 and 2006—a figure which corresponds to one child in every 58. A large percentage were abused, while the majority were neglected.

The NICHD supports the Brain and Tissue Bank for Developmental Disabilities to help advance research on autism spectrum disorders, Down syndrome, and other intellectual and developmental disabilities.

A gene that causes a fatal childhood brain disorder can also cause adults to develop peripheral neuropathy, a condition resulting in weakness and decreased sensation in the hands and limbs, according to a study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health and other institutions. The study is the first to show that different mutations in the same gene cause the two seemingly unrelated disorders.

NICHD and the NIH Office of Medical Applications of Research are holding a three-day Consensus Development Conference on Vaginal Birth After Cesarean: New Insights.

In 2007, the NICHD, the National Institute on Nursing Research, and other national partner organizations released Continuing Education (CE) Module on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS): A Curriculum for Nurses to help nurses make the most of their important role in health care to reduce the risk for SIDS.

An online version of NIH's continuing education program for nurses about SIDS risk reduction is now available. The Continuing Education Program on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Risk Reduction was developed by NIH's Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) in collaboration with national nursing and health organizations.

Most people know that the term “lactose intolerance” describes an inability to digest significant amounts of lactose, a sugar found in milk and other dairy products. Reduced production of lactase, the enzyme required to successfully digest lactose, can lead to unpleasant digestive symptoms, such as abdominal pain or diarrhea. As a result, those who experience symptoms of lactose intolerance may avoid dairy products and eliminate a crucial component of a healthy diet.

Researchers at the National Institutes of Health have identified DNA variants in mothers and fetuses that appear to increase the risk for preterm labor and delivery. The DNA variants were in genes involved in the regulation of inflammation and of the extracellular matrix, the mesh-like material that holds cells within tissues.

The rate of stillbirths in rural areas of six developing countries fell more than 30 percent following a basic training program in newborn care for birth attendants, according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The study tracked more than 120,000 births.