Children born to mother who received a steroid injection in late pregnancy do not appear to be at risk for adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes. The findings help to allay concerns that the treatment—given to help fetal lungs mature in case of preterm birth—could affect neurodevelopment.
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.
Science Update: Preterm infant hernia surgery safer after initial hospital discharge, NIH-funded study suggests
Infants who underwent surgery for inguinal hernia—when intestinal tissue protrudes through an abnormal opening in the abdominal muscles—after discharge had fewer adverse events than those who had surgery while still in the hospital, a study suggests. The findings offer guidance on the best timing to perform this delicate surgery on fragile infants.
Item of Interest: NIH-funded research leads to fluconazole labeling updates for use in infants
Health care providers often use the antifungal drug fluconazole “off-label” to prevent and treat fungal infections in infants. Thanks to NICHD-funded research, fluconazole labels now include information about the drug’s recommended usage and dosage in infants, including those born prematurely.
Director's Corner: Elucidating the Effects of Digital Media on Children
NICHD has a longstanding commitment to research on the effects of exposure to and use of technology and digital media from infancy through adolescence. Since 2020, the Institute has expanded its research in this area to advance toward the goal of discovering how such exposure and use affect developmental trajectories, health outcomes, and parent-child interactions in early childhood.
Release: Children Surpass a Year of HIV Remission after Treatment Pause
Four children enrolled in an NIH-funded study have remained free of detectable HIV for more than one year after their antiretroviral therapy was paused to see if they could achieve HIV remission, researchers report. The findings suggest that very early HIV treatment enables unique features of the neonatal immune system to limit HIV reservoir development, increasing the prospect of HIV remission.
Science Update: Preterm infants fed donor milk had fewer intestinal complications than formula-fed infants
Compared to formula fed infants, extremely preterm infants fed donated human milk had half the rate of necrotizing enterocolitis, a life threatening condition of the intestines. There were no differences in neurological development between those fed donor milk and those fed formula.
Science Update: Preterm infants protected by maternal COVID-19 vaccination, NIH-funded study suggests
Preterm infants born to people who have been vaccinated for COVID-19 had roughly the same levels of antibodies to the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 as term infants born to vaccinated people, allaying concerns that fewer antibodies might pass to preterm infants.
Science Update: Altered fluid channels in the brain may be linked to diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, NIH-funded study suggests
Children with enlarged perivascular spaces—fluid-filled cavities surrounding the brain’s small blood vessels—had a higher risk for developing autism spectrum disorder and later sleep problems. Brain scans to detect the enlargement could be helpful for obtaining an earlier diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders.
Director's Corner: Reflecting on a Productive 2023
In 2023, NICHD continued its commitment to research to understand human development, improve reproductive health, promote women’s health, enhance the lives of children and adolescents, and optimize abilities for all. Highlights include steps toward reducing the global burden of maternal sepsis and establishing a standard treatment for opioid-exposed newborns.
Spotlight: Looking Back on NICHD in 2023
As we ring in 2024, we’d like to take a brief look back on our accomplishments during 2023. These activities illustrate the institute’s continued commitment to research and training in its mission areas.
Science Update: Pain experienced during newborn intensive care could influence preterm infants’ neurodevelopment, suggests NIH-funded study
Preterm infants who underwent several painful medical procedures in early life may be at high risk for autism spectrum disorders and lower motor and language scores at 18 months of age, suggesting that repeated exposure to pain may affect early brain development. The findings underscore the need to develop more effective pain management procedures for preterm infants.
Science Update: Antibody treatment for cytomegalovirus appears to offer no benefit, suggests NIH-funded study
Two-year-old children showed no benefits from their mothers receiving antibodies that target cytomegalovirus (CMV) during pregnancy compared to those whose mothers received a placebo. Findings from this follow-up study were similar to the original, which also found no differences. Full effects of CMV infection during pregnancy may not appear until a child is two years old.
Item of Interest: NICHD and CDC Partner on Healthy Native Babies Project
This collaboration will promote safe infant sleep with and within American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
Media Advisory: Umbilical cord milking appears to be safe in preterm infants born after 28 weeks
A treatment that moves blood from the umbilical cord into an infant’s body may provide a safe option for preterm infants born after 28 weeks who need rapid support, according to a study supported by NIH. Umbilical cord “milking”— gently squeezing the cord between the thumb and forefinger and pushing the blood into the newborn’s body—did not increase the risk of bleeding inside the brain for preterm infants born after 28 weeks of pregnancy.
Science Update: Scanning technique may help assess health of preterm infants after blood transfusion, NIH-funded study suggests
A technique using near-infrared light to detect blood oxygen levels in the brain and abdomen may have potential for monitoring the health of preterm infants needing or given a blood transfusion.
Item of Interest: NIH and partners launch public-private effort to advance pediatric medical device development
NIH announced the launch of the design phase of a public-private partnership addressing the lack of medical devices designed and approved for children in the United States. In this initial phase, NIH and partners will develop a detailed plan to build and launch a partnership that will bring together the resources of U.S.
government agencies and private sector organizations, including industry and non-profits.
Science Update: MRI technique may predict impaired fetal growth and small size at birth, NIH-funded study suggests
A new imaging technique that measures the ability of the placenta to supply blood to the fetus may predict the chances of impaired fetal growth as early as the 14th week of pregnancy. The new method seems to allow earlier diagnosis than the standard ultrasound technique, which can detect reductions in placental blood flow at 20 to 24 weeks. Earlier detection of fetal growth restriction and risk of small for gestational age fetuses may lead to strategies for treating these conditions.
Item of Interest: NICHD renews funding for its Global Network for Women’s and Children’s Health Research
NICHD announced a new cycle of funding for research collaborations in its Global Network for Women’s and Children’s Health Research. The network, which is re-competed every seven years, includes U.S.-based research centers and counterparts in low- and lower middle-income countries. The Global Network has been improving maternal and child health outcomes worldwide and building health research capacity in resource-poor settings since 2001.
Science Update: Fortified human milk may promote growth of preterm infants, according to NIH-funded study
Extremely preterm infants fed fortified human milk grew longer and more rapidly and had larger head circumferences than infants fed unfortified human milk. The findings provide support for future studies on the potential benefits of human milk fortification in preventing malnutrition among infants born at 28 weeks or younger.
Science Update: Umbilical cord milking may increase blood flow to brain and lungs of nonvigorous term and near-term infants
A previous study suggested that umbilical cord milking, a technique that moves blood from the umbilical cord into a newborn’s body, reduced the need for heart and respiratory support among infants classified as nonvigorous—limp, pale, and with minimal breathing—compared to the standard intervention, immediate cord clamping and cutting. A follow-up study supported by the National Institutes of Health indicates that the benefits of the technique may result from increased blood flow to the lungs and brain, along with an increase in blood pumped from the heart. The findings offer additional support for the use of umbilical cord milking in nonvigorous near term and term infants.