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NICHD publishes new strategic plan on research goals and strategies for advancing human health
NICHD’s new five-year strategic plan reflects new opportunities for scientific discovery, such as advances in computational biology, artificial intelligence, advanced imaging techniques, pharmacogenomics, bioinformatics, and other methods.

Cold treatment does not appear to protect preterm infants from disability or death caused by oxygen loss
Lowering the body temperature of preterm infants who have hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy—a type of brain damage caused by oxygen loss—offers no benefits over standard care, according to a study funded by NIH. Previous studies found that this cooling treatment, which lowers body temperature, significantly reduced the risk of death or disability for term and near-term infants.

Partial steroid course can enhance preterm infant lung development
Antenatal steroids—given to expectant mothers at risk for early delivery—can improve a preterm infant’s survival odds even if they are given only hours before birth, suggests a study funded by NICHD. For maximum fetal lung maturation, an at-risk pregnant woman should receive two or four steroid doses within 48 hours before delivery. The findings provide evidence that, even if preterm birth is imminent, one dose of treatment is still beneficial.

Healthy eating may not be common during and after pregnancy in the United States
Healthy eating during pregnancy and the year after giving birth may be uncommon in the United States, suggests a study by researchers at NICHD and other institutions. On a scale from “A” to “F,” study participants received a grade of “D” on a measure of healthy eating. The results suggest a need to improve diet quality during and after pregnancy.

Low vitamin D levels in early pregnancy linked to preterm birth risk
Pregnant women with low levels of vitamin D during the first trimester of pregnancy had more than four times the risk of preterm birth compared to those with higher levels of the vitamin, according to a study funded by NICHD. Moreover, the researchers found an association between infant length at birth and maternal levels of vitamin D in the first trimester.

NIH-funded study identifies potential biomarkers to predict sudden infant death syndrome risk
Researchers funded by NIH have linked abnormal patterns of certain metabolites in infant blood samples to a higher risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Although further research is needed to confirm the results, the findings could potentially lead to ways to screen infants at risk for SIDS and help identify its causes.

NICHD scientists develop prototype method to track blood vessel health in sickle cell anemia
NICHD researchers have developed a prototype test that could one day replace the blood tests needed to monitor sickle cell anemia. The method uses light in the red spectrum to gauge blood vessel health and oxygen supply to tissues.

NIH selects first round of winners of the Community Champions for Disability Health Challenge
NICHD announced winners of the first phase of its Community Champions for Disability Health Challenge. This $485,000 prize competition, led by NICHD’s National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research, encourages community-based organizations to develop and implement strategies to reduce health disparities experienced by people with disabilities.

Excess weight gain in first trimester associated with fetal fat accumulation
Fetuses of pregnant women who gained excess weight in the first trimester of pregnancy show signs of excess fat distribution in the upper arm and in the abdomen, according to a study by researchers at NIH. These findings may inform efforts to prevent excessive weight gain early in life, a risk factor for adult obesity, and related conditions, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes.

Gene editing technique corrects glycogen storage disease type Ia in mouse model
A new gene editing technique has the potential to correct glycogen storage disease type Ia (GSD-Ia), a hereditary disorder that results from a failure to produce glucose. People with GSD-Ia cannot maintain blood sugar levels, and as a result, they experience seizures, growth problems, and other issues.

Receptor on liver cells helps control how the body processes and stores fats
A receptor found on liver cells plays an important role in how the body processes and stores fats, suggests a mouse study by NICHD researchers. The melanocortin 3 receptor sets off a cascade of actions in liver cells, among them chemical processes that affect whether lipids inside liver cells are stored or shuttled in the bloodstream to fuel various metabolic reactions.

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