Newborn News and Research

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Greasing the gears that drive the interferon signal

Interferon -- a critical protein that mediates the body's defense against a wide variety of infectious agents and tumors -- may soon have greater therapeutic value as the result of a new study by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

3 Oct 2005

Vaccine against group B streptococcus

Common bacteria that live harmlessly in the gastrointestinal tract and vagina of 25 percent of women can become lethal if a newborn gets exposed to them during birth.

20 Sep 2005

Amnioinfusion does not reduce the risk of meconium aspiration syndrome

An international randomized trial, funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), has revealed that amnioinfusion, the infusion of saline into the uterus, does not reduce the risk of meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS), as previously believed.

6 Sep 2005

More insight into the end-of-life decision-making process

A Dutch study found that end-of-life decisions (ELD) are an important aspect of end-of-life care for children between one and 17 years old and that those decisions include choices to refrain from life-prolonging treatment and to relieve pain or symptoms, according to a report in the September issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

6 Sep 2005

Which herbs and dietary supplements can help children with nausea, constipation and similar gastrointestinal problems?

As more parents choose home remedies for their children's gastrointestinal complaints, the question arises, which ones really work?

30 Aug 2005

Enzyme called matriptase, when left to its own devices, can cause cance

Scientists at the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) and colleagues report in animal studies that a single, scissor-like enzyme called matriptase, when left to its own devices, can cause cancer.

16 Aug 2005

U.S. company wants to commercialise breast milk

It has long been acknowledged that breast milk, with its minerals, digestive enzymes and antibodies, keeps babies healthy and boosts their intelligence.

7 Aug 2005

Low levels of folate linked to lower birth rates

Mothers-to-be with lower levels of the vitamin folate in their body during early pregnancy are more likely to have babies with lower, or less healthy, birth weights, a study has revealed.

4 Aug 2005

Link between peritoneum closure and fewer adhesions

A controversial surgical procedure that has lost favor among medical professionals may benefit women who have had caesarean sections. So say researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine, who have found that closing the parietal peritoneum, a multi-layered membrane that lines the abdomino-pelvic walls, substantially decreases the likelihood of scarring that can make future C-sections more difficult.

1 Aug 2005

New research leads to better infant hearing aids

The University of Western Sydney's MARCS Auditory Laboratories is leading the way with groundbreaking research, exploring the auditory abilities of infants, so hearing aids can correctly amplify the frequencies that babies need to develop communication and language skills.

21 Jul 2005

Expert says newborn health screening inconsistent throughout the U.S.

According to the March of Dimes, although every state requires newborn babies to receive health checks, requirements vary widely among the individual states.

13 Jul 2005

Most perinatal strokes lead to neurologic disorders

Four of five newborn infants who experience a stroke around the time of birth will develop neurologic disorders such as cerebral palsy, epilepsy, or language delay, according to a study published online July 11, 2005, in the Annals of Neurology.

12 Jul 2005

Every baby born in the United States should receive screening for a uniform panel of 29 disorders

Expanded newborn screening is now required by law in dozens of states, but most infants still are not covered by the full panel of 29 tests recommended by experts, according to the March of Dimes 2005 state-by-state report card on newborn screening.

12 Jul 2005

Pomegranate juice may help babies resist brain injuries from low oxygen

Expectant mothers at risk of premature birth may want to consider drinking pomegranate juice to help their babies resist brain injuries from low oxygen and reduced blood flow, a new mouse study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis suggests.

28 Jun 2005

Planned home births a safe otption shows finds new study

Planned home births for low risk women in the United States are associated with similar safety and less medical intervention as low risk hospital births, finds a study in this week’s BMJ.

16 Jun 2005

Drinking during pregnancy can increase the risk of infection in newborns

Despite public-information campaigns and physician advice about alcohol consumption during pregnancy, between 15 and 25 percent of pregnant women continue to drink each month, and five to 10 out of 1,000 pregnant women drink an average of seven or more drinks per week.

14 Jun 2005

Missing link between mothers' diets and obesity in kids

New work may have found the missing link between mothers' diets and obesity in kids. A study published in the June issue of Cell Metabolism suggests that a hormone may explain the connection between mothers who are poorly nourished and an increased risk of obesity in their children.

8 Jun 2005

Research moves us closer to understanding how complicated network connections are wired up during embryonic development

A newborn baby moves, breathes and cries in part because a network of nerves called motor neurons carry signals from the infant's brain and spinal cord to muscles throughout its body.

3 Jun 2005

Stress, anxiety, fatigue and other psychosocial characteristics may influence the food choices women make during pregnancy

Our findings suggest that women who are more fatigued, stressed and anxious eat more food, particularly carbohydrates. While eating more food led to an increase in some important micronutrients, it also led to a decrease in others, like folate and vitamin C

1 Jun 2005

A drug used to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1 induces resistance more often than previously thought

The incidence of drug resistance associated with single-dose nevirapine, a drug used to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1, may be substantially higher than previously thought and of particular risk for those infected with HIV-1 subtype C, according to three new studies published in the July 1 issue of The Journal of Infectious Diseases, now available online.

1 Jun 2005