Research on the health and development of babies. Covers motor development, maternal-infant health, cochlear implants, and infant nutrition.
A new study by UBC sleep expert Wendy Hall found a correlation between thoughts about infant sleep and parental depression. After a sleep intervention, parental depression lifted significantly, with a notable reduction in mothers' (30%) and fathers' (20%) high depression scores.
Rutgers researchers found premature infants between 24-27 weeks have a three times higher risk of dying before first birthday due to SIDS and other sleep-related infant deaths. Safe sleep practices, such as putting infants on their back to sleep, can help compensate for this risk.
A new study found that electronic books captivated toddlers' attention, encouraging more engagement and participation during reading sessions. Compared to traditional print books, toddlers showed higher levels of attention, engagement, and correct animal identification when reading electronic books.
A recent study published in Clinical Infectious Diseases found that HIV-positive women with cytomegalovirus (CMV) are more likely to transmit the virus to their infants, increasing the risk of congenital CMV infection. The study also found a significant association between gonorrhea and CMV transmission.
Researchers are studying the clinical outcomes of children infected with Zika virus after birth to examine long-term brain development. Neurodevelopmental testing will be conducted to identify changes in children infected with Zika virus.
A new study reveals a significant increase in US hospital admissions for neonatal abstinence syndrome, caused by mothers using opioids during pregnancy. The condition carries a substantial burden on healthcare resources, resulting in nearly $316 million in costs and extended hospital stays.
A pharmacokinetic study found no significant placental transfer of certolizumab pegol (CZP) from mothers to infants during pregnancy. CZP levels in infant blood samples were below the lower limit of quantification, suggesting a safe treatment option for women with rheumatoid arthritis during pregnancy.
Research found that early-life exposure to severe famine as a fetus or infant significantly increases the chance of having dyslipidemia in adulthood. The association was true for women but not men, suggesting cultural differences may play a role. Severe maternal under-nutrition during pregnancy could also contribute to the increased risk.
A large-scale study found that premature babies born at 23-24 weeks were ready for kindergarten on time, while those born 25 weeks or later performed only slightly lower than full-term infants. Nearly 2% of extremely premature babies achieved gifted status in school.
A novel study found that short duration of breastfeeding and maternal obesity are associated with an increased risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in adolescents. Breastfed infants who were fed infant formula milk before six months had a 40% increased likelihood of NAFLD.
Research from the University of Rochester Medical Center suggests that preterm infants may be more susceptible to lung diseases due to a lack of alveolar type II cells. These cells play a crucial role in rebuilding lung tissue after damage and producing pulmonary surfactant, a vital compound for healthy lungs.
Experts agree on routine screening, medication-assisted treatment, and addressing pain management for women with opioid use disorder. Research is needed to improve outcomes for affected women, newborns, and families.
A new study by McMaster University has found that delaying the introduction of potentially allergenic foods until after a baby's first year may increase the likelihood of a food allergy later on. Infants who avoided cow's milk products, egg, and peanut during their first year were more likely to be sensitized to these foods at age one.
A new study published in NEJM suggests a modest increased risk of cardiac defects with lithium use during the first trimester, approximately two cases per 100 live births. The dose-dependent association found supports a more nuanced understanding of lithium's effects on fetal development.
Researchers linked brain connectivity changes to ASD diagnosis in 11 of 59 high-risk infants, predicting symptoms up to two years old. Early detection could significantly improve quality of life for people with autism spectrum disorder.
Researchers used functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging (fcMRI) to scan 59 high-risk, 6-month-old infants, finding that brain patterns preceded behavioral symptoms of autism. The technique accurately predicted diagnoses in 82% of cases, with 93% accuracy in smaller groups.
Researchers used MRIs to analyze infant brain connectivity and synchronize brain regions. The study found that differences in these connections at six months could predict autism diagnoses at two years old, with the machine learning classifier correctly identifying 81% of babies who developed autism.
A systematic review and meta-analysis found that women who gained more than the recommended weight during pregnancy were at a higher risk of small for gestational age, preterm birth, and cesarean delivery. In contrast, those who gained less than the recommended weight had a lower risk of large for gestational age and macrosomia.
A Phase I clinical trial demonstrated the safety and tolerability of activated B. infantis EVC001 in breastfed infants. The study found no difference in adverse events between supplemented and unsupplemented groups, but significant colonization of the infant gastrointestinal tract was observed.
A new study from McMaster University found that ethnicity and breastfeeding practices independently affect the gut microbiota in infants as young as one year old. The research revealed a higher abundance of lactic acid bacteria in South Asians and Clostridia in white Caucasians, suggesting potential links to future health issues such a...
A new study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry found that taking antidepressants during pregnancy is not associated with neonatal problems at two to four weeks after birth. Instead, preterm birth was the major factor linked to newborn signs of agitation and restlessness.
Exposure to common anesthesia drug sevoflurane in infancy results in visual recognition memory impairment, which emerges after the first year of life and may persist long-term. Researchers used a rhesus monkey model to investigate the effects of repeated anesthesia exposure on neurocognitive function.
First Nations and Inuit babies were hospitalized at twice the rate of non-Indigenous infants for preventable illnesses like respiratory diseases and infections. This disparity highlights substantial unmet needs in Indigenous infant disease prevention and medical care.
Researchers found that marmosets' vocal calls developed rapidly when given contingent feedback, mirroring human infant language development. This discovery establishes causality between parental responses and vocal learning in nonhuman primates.
A Temple University Health System study analyzed the impact of combining baby boxes and personalized sleep education on reducing bed-sharing in infants. The research found that face-to-face postpartum education and providing a baby box with a firm mattress and fitted sheet reduced bed-sharing rates by 25% in the first eight days of life.
A new biomarker has been identified that can predict the risk of lung disease and death in extremely preterm infants. The biomarker is related to endothelial mitochondrial function, which can be measured using umbilical cord cells collected at birth.
Researchers found that viral acute respiratory infections (ARIs) in infants may lead to oxidative stress and recurrent wheezing in early childhood. Oxidative stress is an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants in the body, and measuring it in urine samples during a viral ARI may predict the development of recurrent wheeze.
A new study published in the European Congress on Obesity reveals strong and direct effects of parental BMI, low income, and smoking on a child's future BMI and risk of overweight. The research controlled for birthweight and early life BMI to show that these factors have a lasting impact.
A recent analysis of 16 studies found that fluoxetine use during the first trimester is associated with a 18% increased relative risk of major malformations and a 36% increased risk of cardiovascular malformations.
Penn Medicine's Pennsylvania Hospital and HUP receive a three-year grant to develop an innovative safe sleep program addressing newborn deaths in Philadelphia. The program aims to promote and evaluate safe sleep practices through nurse, parent, and community education, with the goal of reducing Sudden Unexpected Infant Death rates.
A new study suggests that corticosteroid treatments given to pregnant women just hours before delivery can significantly increase the survival rate of very preterm infants. The research found that antenatal corticosteroids reduced infant mortality and severe neonatal morbidity, particularly when administered shortly before birth.
A study presented at the ESPGHAN conference warns that young children on a vegan diet without proper medical and dietary advice may experience vitamin B12, calcium, zinc, and high-quality protein deficiencies. These deficiencies can lead to devastating health effects, including irreversible cognitive damage and death.
The study found that hepatitis C infections among pregnant women increased by 89% from 1.8 to 3.4 per 1,000 live births between 2009 and 2014. Rural counties in Tennessee and West Virginia saw the highest rates of infection, with nearly 8% of pregnant women infected in some counties.
Researchers developed an ethnically sensitive screening methodology to identify Latino infants at risk for autism spectrum disorder. The unique approach resulted in a 90% screening rate and a 4% referral rate for further testing, mirroring US English-language toddler study findings.
A study found that fathers who interact more with their babies in the first few months can positively impact cognitive development. Babies of involved dads scored higher in cognitive tests at two years old, regardless of gender.
A new study by researchers at UCLA found that breast milk contains distinct and diverse bacterial communities that transfer to the infant gut. The study suggests that breastfeeding plays a crucial role in shaping the infant's gut microbiome, with changes observed in a dose-dependent manner.
A new UCLA-led study found that breast milk contains nearly a third of the beneficial bacteria in a baby's intestinal tract, and that continued breastfeeding after solid food intake maintains this advantage. This research suggests that breast milk plays a crucial role in establishing a healthy gut microbiome.
A new study found that buprenorphine significantly reduces the duration of therapy for infants with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), cutting treatment time by nearly half. Buprenorphine is a longer-lasting drug than morphine and works differently at the opioid receptor, making it more effective and safer.
A recent clinical trial found that buprenorphine is as safe and effective as morphine in treating newborns with withdrawal symptoms after prenatal drug exposure. The study showed a 42% decrease in treatment length compared to standard morphine, with an average treatment duration of 15 days versus 28 days.
The COBRE for Reproductive Health aims to develop research infrastructure for a center supporting interdisciplinary research in women's reproductive health. Four investigators will focus on understanding mechanisms of preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, and prematurity using pre-clinical models and computational approaches.
A study found that breast milk feeding in premature infants (weighing less than 1,500 grams) improves white matter microstructural organization, which may predict better neurologic outcomes. This increase suggests more robust fiber tracts and microarchitecture of the developing white matter.
Reading to infants as early as six months can have a lasting impact on their language and literacy skills, with higher vocabulary and reading abilities recorded four years later. The study found that the quality and quantity of shared book-reading during infancy and toddlerhood are strongly tied to later emergent literacy skills.
Research presented at the 2017 Pediatric Academic Societies Meeting suggests that handheld screen time use is associated with increased risk of expressive language delay in infants. Children under 2 years old who spend more time playing with smartphones, tablets, and other handheld screens are more likely to begin talking later.
A new study reveals a previously unknown mode of communication between the hippocampus and red nucleus during REM sleep in infants. This synchronization is essential for motor control development and may contribute to motor problems in disorders like autism and schizophrenia.
A new study published in Diabetologia found that high levels of fish-derived fatty acids, particularly DHA and DPA, were associated with a lower risk of early autoimmunity in infants at high genetic risk for type 1 diabetes. Breastfeeding was also linked to higher serum levels of protective fatty acids.
A recent study by Queen's University Belfast found that 50% of baby rice food products contain illegal levels of inorganic arsenic, a known carcinogen. The research highlights the vulnerability of babies to arsenic exposure and its potential long-term health consequences.
A new study examines 'small for gestational age' (SGA) across Europe and finds that birthweight has a strong impact on reference percentiles for very preterm infants. Country-specific references are recommended to effectively benchmark outcomes for SGA in each population.
Researchers propose a novel approach to treating newborns with opioid exposure based on their ability to eat, sleep, and be consoled. This alternative method significantly reduces the length of hospitalization without increasing readmission rates.
Researchers at Georgia State University are testing a new mobile phone application that combines two existing programs to decrease maternal depression and build parenting skills. The project aims to promote infant social-emotional health and development, with the potential to reach larger numbers of mothers than traditional programs.
A Canadian study found that women who used marijuana during pregnancy were almost three times more likely to have an infant with low birth weight. Maternal amphetamine use and smoking were also identified as risk factors for low birth weight.
Researchers at CHOP have developed a unique womb-like environment to support growth and organ maturation in extremely premature babies. The system, tested on fetal lambs, has shown promising results, with some animals remaining healthy after 28 days of operation.
Researchers discovered that higher maternal relationship happiness and general social support reduce infant colic rates. The study of over 3,000 women found stronger associations between relationship happiness and lower colic risks, even in postpartum depression cases.
A University at Buffalo study found that simulations of daily care and nightmare scenarios increased the confidence of parents of newborns in the NICU by nearly 30%. The Neonatal Home Environment Learning Program (HELP) used infant simulators to recreate real-life situations, allowing parents to rehearse and experience behaviors, conse...
New studies reveal that infants as young as six months old display racial bias, favoring their own race and rejecting others. Researchers believe this bias emerges without prior experience with other-race individuals, suggesting a potential starting point for preventing racial biases in later life.
A new blood test has been developed to detect acute intracranial hemorrhage due to abusive head trauma in infants, with a high sensitivity rate of 90%. The test uses a combination of biomarkers and hemoglobin levels to identify infants at risk.
A study reveals that Bifidobacterium longum has adapted to the infant gut by producing an enzyme called LnbX, which enables growth on a sugar abundant in human milk. This adaptation suggests a possible evolutionary route for the breast milk-driven symbiosis between gut microbes and humans.
Human infants demonstrate an innate ability to recognize heroic acts from early stages of development, drawn to figures protecting the weak. As they grow, their understanding of justice becomes more complex.
In a groundbreaking study, great apes showed they can distinguish between true and false beliefs in others, assisting individuals in obtaining an object by exploiting the person's false belief. This advanced social cognition ability is now confirmed for great apes, alongside humans.
A recent review of published research found that hearing their mother's voice can benefit the health of preterm infants. The study linked maternal voice exposure to physiological and behavioral stabilization, including fewer cardiorespiratory events.
A new study from Lehigh University found that infants born to mothers living as far as 20-30 miles away from a coal-fired power plant had a 6.5% greater risk of low birth weight and a 17.12% greater risk of very low birth weight.