NIH launched a new federal challenge to seek new innovations in the diagnosis of endometriosis to broaden accessibility and improve women’s health. Submissions are due October 11, 2024.
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.
Item of Interest: NICHD Leads Summer Workshops on Women’s Health
NICHD is co-hosting several workshops and virtual meetings on women’s health topics in summer 2024. Please consider registering to participate in discussions and to help shape future research and care.
Media Advisory: Repurposed drug shows promise against endometriosis-related pain in animal model
An NIH-funded study suggests that fenoprofen may be a potential therapeutic for endometriosis, a disease that affects approximately 1 in 10 U.S. women. The researchers used a computer algorithm to evaluate nearly 1,300 existing drugs and tested their top candidate, fenoprofen, in a rodent model of the disease.
Science Update: Compound in olive leaves may provide endometriosis treatment, NIH-funded mouse study suggests
Oleuropein, a compound found in olive oil and olive leaves, may have the potential to treat endometriosis with fewer side effects than current treatments, suggests a study of mice and human tissue cultures funded by the National Institutes of Health.
Item of Interest: PregSource® Mobile App Allows Access from Anywhere
It just got easier to participate in the PregSource®: Crowdsourcing to Understand Pregnancy research project. The free app allows participants to track their weight, sleep, mood, and other features of their pregnancy in just a few taps.
Director's Corner: A Mother’s Day Message: Time for Action to Improve Maternal Health
NICHD Director Dr. Diana Bianchi is joined by NIH Office of Research on Women’s Health Director Dr. Janine Clayton in assessing the growing maternal health crisis in the United States and describing NIH’s efforts to address it.
Spotlight: Boosting women’s health by supporting menstruation research
NICHD has supported gynecologic and reproductive health research for decades. Learn more about its leading role in menstruation research.
Director’s Corner: Endometriosis Research to Develop Non-Invasive Treatment and Diagnosis
Research on the causes of and effective treatments for endometriosis is a high priority for NICHD. Our grantees share their findings and ongoing research.
Release: NIH scientists call attention to the impact of opioids on women and children
In an editorial, Diana W. Bianchi, M.D., NICHD Director and Matthew W. Gillman, M.D., S.M., emphasize that women and children bear a substantial burden of the U.S. opioid epidemic and that coordinated, long-term research is essential to filling knowledge gaps about how opioids affect women and children.
Podcast: Menstruation as a Diagnostic Tool for Women’s Health
Dr. Candace Tingen with NICHD’s Gynecological Health and Disease Branch speaks about the possibilities of tapping a woman’s menstrual cycle for signs of disease. Listen to our latest podcast.
Item of Interest: NICHD announces gynecologic health and disease research themes and scientific vision
The Gynecologic Health and Disease Branch recently published its scientific vision. The document summarizes its research themes, which provide direction for future research.
Spotlight: What to Know About Endometriosis
Understanding endometriosis, causes and treatment, is part of NICHD’s mission. Learn more about signs and symptoms.
Focus on Women’s Health Research
NICHD research aims to improve understanding of diseases and conditions that affect women.
Getting to Know the New NICHD Director
NICHD Director Dr. Diana Bianchi shares some thoughts about joining NICHD.
Endometriosis linked to increased risk for heart disease, NIH-funded study finds
Endometriosis—an often painful gynecologic condition resulting when uterine tissue grows outside of the uterus—may increase the risk for heart disease, according to a study funded by NICHD and the National Cancer Institute.
Researchers identify source of inflammatory cells in endometriosis
Researchers have discovered the source of a cell type central to endometriosis, an oftentimes painful disease that occurs when tissue that lines the inside of the uterus grows outside of the uterus.
Q&A with NICHD Acting Director Catherine Spong, M.D.
Dr. Cathy Spong became NICHD’s acting director on October 1, 2015. Here she shares her plans for the year and her thoughts on what makes NICHD so unique.
Pelvic pain may be common among reproductive-age women, NIH study finds
A high proportion of reproductive-age women may be experiencing pelvic pain that goes untreated, according to a study by researchers from the National Institutes of Health and the University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City.
Pelvic Floor Disorders: A Q&A with Dr. Susan Meikle
A pelvic floor disorder (PFD) occurs when the muscles and connective tissue of the pelvis weaken or are injured. The most common types of PFDs are urinary incontinence (leaking of urine), fecal incontinence (leaking of stool), and pelvic organ prolapse (a condition in which the pelvic organs descend into the vagina).
Promoting the Health of Women
NICHD conducts and supports research on health issues that are unique to women and on how certain diseases affect men and women differently.