Infant's Health News

February 19, 2025

Top Headlines

Air Pollution Exposure Late in Pregnancy Increases NICU Admission Risk

Feb. 14, 2025 — In a study measuring neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admissions and satellite-based air pollution data, newborns exposed to higher levels of NO2 have a 30-35% higher risk of NICU admission and an 11-22% increased risk associated with ...

Stalled Microbiomes: Cystic Fibrosis Disrupts Early Gut Development in Infants

Feb. 13, 2025 — Findings from a new study highlight key differences in the gut microbiome of infants with cystic fibrosis (CF) compared to that of healthy infants, and how these alterations may adversely affect ...

Gene Therapy for Rare Epilepsy Shows Promise in Mice

Feb. 14, 2025 — Recent research takes aim at the a variant in gene SCN1B, which causes a severe form of developmental epileptic ...

Born Too Late? Climate Change May Be Delaying Births

Feb. 10, 2025 — New research has found exposure to outdoor air pollution and extreme temperatures during pregnancy may increase the risk of prolonged pregnancy, offering new insights into the impact of climate change on maternal ...

Latest Headlines

updated 3:21pm EST

Is CBD Use During Pregnancy as Safe as People Think? New Study Uncovers Potential Risks to Babies

Feb. 5, 2025 — A new study has uncovered potential risks, including impaired fetal growth, associated with the use of both tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary ...

A Familiar Face at Childbirth Makes a Difference

Feb. 3, 2025 — A new study finds that pregnant individuals who were unable to have their desired emotional support persons present during childbirth were more likely to have higher levels of perceived childbirth ...

Maternal Stress During Pregnancy Could Leave Traces in the Placenta That Could Affect the Baby's Development

Feb. 4, 2025 — Maternal stress could leave epigenetic imprints on genes in the placenta associated with cortisol -- a necessary hormone for fetal development -- and ...

Vitamin D Matters During First Trimester

Feb. 3, 2025 — Maternal vitamin D levels in the first trimester were related to both prenatal growth and pregnancy outcomes, according to a new study. Low vitamin D levels during the first trimester of pregnancy ...

Researchers Identify Protective Properties of Amniotic Fluid

Jan. 31, 2025 — Researchers have made new discoveries about amniotic fluid, a substance historically not well understood in medical research due to the difficulty in obtaining it during pregnancy, especially across ...

AI-Based Pregnancy Analysis Discovers Previously Unknown Warning Signs for Stillbirth and Newborn Complications

Jan. 30, 2025 — By analyzing almost 10,000 pregnancies, researchers discovered previously unidentified combinations of risk factors linked to serious negative ...

Beneficial Prenatal Vitamins to Reduce Risk of Infant Death

Jan. 29, 2025 — Researchers publish landmark analysis on the impacts of prenatal vitamins on mothers and ...

Better Nurse Staffing Linked to Fewer C-Sections

Jan. 29, 2025 — Labor and delivery units that are adequately staffed by nurses have lower cesarean birth rates, according to new research published in the journal Nursing ...

Preterm Babies Receive Insufficient Pain Management: Study

Jan. 27, 2025 — A large proportion of babies born very early need intensive care, which can be painful. But the healthcare system fails to provide pain relief to the full extent. This is shown by the largest survey ...

Infant Mortality Rates Declining, but Sudden Unexpected Infant Death Is on the Rise

Jan. 27, 2025 — Infant mortality in the United States decreased by 24.2% between 1999 and 2022. However, mortality rates from Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID) ...

SIDS Discovery Could ID Babies at Risk of Sudden Death

Jan. 22, 2025 — New research revealing the fingerprints of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome within blood samples could open the door to simple tests to identify babies at ...

How Improving Education Could Close Maternal Heart Health Gaps

Jan. 15, 2025 — Research has established a clear link between racial and ethnic disparities in maternal heart health and higher risks of preterm birth, preeclampsia and cardiovascular issues for Black and Hispanic ...

IVF Pregnancies at Greater Risk of Exposure to Medicines That Can Harm the Fetus

Jan. 15, 2025 — A new study has revealed a potential reason why some pregnancies achieved through assisted reproductive technology (ART) may result in birth defects in comparison to naturally conceived ...

AI Could Improve the Success of IVF Treatment

Jan. 8, 2025 — Artificial Intelligence (AI) could help doctors identify follicles that are most likely to lead to the birth of a baby during IVF treatment more precisely than current ...

Healthier Mothers, Healthier Babies: Iron Infusion Trial Could Transform Pregnancy Care Worldwide

Jan. 6, 2025 — A major trial has found a single iron infusion in the third trimester can significantly reduce anaemia in pregnant women and outperform the efficacy of iron tablets -- the current recommended ...

How Do MS Drugs Affect Pregnancy?

Dec. 24, 2024 — Many women are diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) at an age when they are considering starting a family. What does the disease and its medication mean for the child? To answer this question, a ...

Breakthrough Study Reveals How Assisted Reproduction Affects Placenta and Child's Growth

Dec. 20, 2024 — Researchers have studied placental genes to explore how Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) affects a child's development. Differences showed up between pregnancies from frozen and fresh ...

Delivery Timing in Mothers With Chronic Hypertension

Dec. 19, 2024 — Physician researchers found 39 weeks of gestation is optimal for delivery in mothers with chronic ...

Almost Three Quarters of Adolescents Experience Depression or Anxiety

Dec. 17, 2024 — Almost three quarters of adolescents in Australia experience clinically significant depression or anxiety symptoms, with most being chronic, according to a new study. And preventive strategies ...

AI Tool Analyzes Placentas at Birth for Faster Detection of Neonatal, Maternal Problems

Dec. 13, 2024 — A newly developed tool that harnesses computer vision and artificial intelligence (AI) may help clinicians from around the globe rapidly evaluate placentas at birth, potentially improving neonatal ...

Model Advances Rational Design of More Effective Maternal Vaccines for Newborns

Dec. 12, 2024 — Research on vaccines may help save more ...

A Lipid Nanoparticle Delivers mRNA Cure for Pre-Eclampsia in Mice

Dec. 11, 2024 — Engineers have developed a lipid nanoparticle (LNP) that delivers mRNA therapeutic to the placenta to treat pre-eclampsia in mice with human trials on the ...

Flood Disasters Associated With Preterm Births and Low Birth Weights

Dec. 10, 2024 — A new analysis of more than 3,000 studies from around the world reveals that globally, flooding increases preterm births by about 3%. Children who were in utero during a flood event are also more ...

Increased Area Income Improves Birthweight Rates, Researchers Find

Dec. 10, 2024 — Higher incomes are often correlated with healthier pregnancies and babies, but is it really the money that matters? Sedimentary rocks that formed 390 million years ago, surprisingly, help provide the ...

Gene Therapy Fixes Major Cause of Stillbirth, Premature Birth in Guinea Pig Model

Dec. 5, 2024 — Nanoparticle-mediated gene therapy corrects a problem with the placenta that leads to pregnancy ...

Changes in Blood Cell Production Over the Lifetime Could Impact Leukemia Outcomes

Dec. 5, 2024 — The first comprehensive map of the dramatic changes that take place in the blood system over the course of the human lifetime could have implications for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia and ...

Mothers Massively Change Their Intestines During Pregnancy and Nursing

Dec. 5, 2024 — When women are pregnant and nurse their babies, their bodies change and various organs, such as the breasts or the immune system, are adapted to ensure the health of both mother and child. This ...

Potential Epigenetic Biomarker Found for Preeclampsia in Pregnancy

Dec. 5, 2024 — Analysis of cheek swabs taken from pregnant women revealed a potential epigenetic biomarker for preeclampsia, a potentially life-threatening condition that often leads to preterm births. While a ...

Revisiting Vitamin D Guidelines

Dec. 2, 2024 — In June of 2024, the Endocrine Society, influenced by a substantial body of research conducted in recent years, published new clinical practice guidelines for the testing and supplementation of ...

Fine Particulate Air Pollution May Play a Role in Adverse Birth Outcomes

Nov. 29, 2024 — For pregnant women, exposure to fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5) was associated with altered immune responses that can lead to adverse birth outcomes, according to a new study. The study is ...