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.
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.
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.
All About Healthy Pregnancy
NICHD research aims to promote healthy pregnancies.
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.
Selected NICHD Research Advances of 2016
NICHD had a very productive year in 2016. Staff responded quickly to Zika virus and led the effort to develop the NIH Research Plan on Rehabilitation. The following snapshots are examples of the many advances made possible by NICHD this year.
Getting to Know the New NICHD Director
NICHD Director Dr. Diana Bianchi shares some thoughts about joining NICHD.
Even partial steroid treatment can benefit extremely preterm infants, NIH study suggests
Steroids improve survival and reduce the chances of certain complications for extremely premature infants, even if the treatment course is not finished before delivery, according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Azithromycin pretreatment lowers infection rate after C-section, NIH-funded study finds
Treatment with the antibiotic azithromycin before an unplanned cesarean delivery reduces the post-operation infection rate by about 50 percent, compared to the standard treatment, according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health. Results of the study appear in the September 29 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Extreme temperatures could increase preterm birth risk
Extreme hot or cold temperatures during pregnancy may increase the risk of preterm birth, according to study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health.
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.
NICHD Invites Researchers to Share Their Data through Online Resource
Researchers may now add data from NICHD-funded studies directly to the NICHD Data and Specimen Hub (DASH).
Air pollution linked to higher risk of preterm birth for mothers with asthma
Pregnant women with asthma may be at greater risk of preterm birth when exposed to high levels of certain traffic-related air pollutants, according to a study by researchers at NICHD and other institutions.
Prenatal steroids lower risk of respiratory illness in late preterm infants
Prenatal steroid therapy reduces the chance of respiratory complications among infants born at 34-36 weeks, so-called “late” preterm infants, according to a study by a National Institutes of Health research network.
Selected NICHD Research Advances of 2015
Over the past year, NICHD contributed to numerous scientific advances and key initiatives.
Church programs increase HIV testing, treatment in rural Nigeria, NIH study finds
In an effort to boost HIV testing, as well as the use of anti-HIV therapy among pregnant women in rural villages, researchers supported in part by NICHD assessed the effectiveness of a church-based screening program in Southern Nigeria.
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.
NIH invests $46 million in technologies to monitor placental health
The National Institutes of Health has announced $46 million in research awards for the Human Placenta Project, an initiative to revolutionize understanding of the placenta. The awards will fund technology development and testing to assess placental function throughout pregnancy, with the ultimate goal of improving pregnancy outcomes and lifelong health.
Rates of survival increasing for extremely preterm infants, NIH network finds
Extremely preterm infants, those born before the 28th week of pregnancy, are surviving in greater numbers and escaping serious illness, according to a comprehensive review of births in a National Institutes of Health research network.
NICHD Launches New Data Sharing Resource to Accelerate Scientific Findings, Improve Health
NICHD recently launched the NICHD Data and Specimen Hub (DASH), a centralized resource for researchers to store and access de-identified data from NICHD-funded research studies for secondary research use.
NICHD Supports Wide Range of Research on the Placenta
The placenta is a temporary organ that connects a mother and her fetus. It performs multiple functions, acting as the fetus’s lungs, kidneys, and liver, as well as the gastrointestinal, endocrine, and immune systems. It produces hormones to help maintain pregnancy and support fetal development, and it protects the fetus from the mother’s immune system. There is even a role for the placenta in determining the timing of birth.