Newborn News and Research

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Magnesium sulphate protects babies against cerebral palsy

Giving pregnant mothers magnesium sulphate when they are at risk of very preterm birth can help protect their babies from cerebral palsy, according to an international review of research involving the University of Adelaide, Australia.

21 Jan 2009

More scientific evidence supporting Darwinian views of evolution

Studies at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine on brain electrical signaling offer a fresh perspective on vertebrate evolution, provide additional evidence supporting Darwinian views of evolution, and may also lead to more effective treatment of epileptic seizures in infants.

21 Jan 2009

CSL Behring receives FDA approval of RiaSTAP

CSL Behring announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted marketing approval for RiaSTAP(TM), the first and only treatment of acute bleeding episodes in patients with congenital fibrinogen deficiency, including afibrinogenemia and hypofibrinogenemia.

19 Jan 2009

Fish oil helps premmie baby girls avoid learning disabilities

According to a study by Australian researchers premature babies who were given high doses of omega-3 fatty acid were less likely to have developmental delays - but this only applied to baby girls.

18 Jan 2009

Certain fatty acids help neurodevelopment for preterm girls

Preterm infant girls who received a high amount of dietary docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; an omega-3 fatty acid) had higher measures of neurodevelopment than preterm girls who received a standard amount of DHA, but this effect was not seen among preterm boys, according to a study in the January 14 issue of JAMA.

13 Jan 2009

Proteins called ankyrins required to prevent muscular dystrophy

A protein that was first identified for playing a key role in regulating normal heart rhythms also appears to be significant in helping muscle cells survive the forces of muscle contraction.

13 Jan 2009

Repeat cesarean deliveries before 39 weeks raises risk of neonatal illness

Women choosing repeat cesarean deliveries and having them at term but before completing 39 weeks gestation are up to two times more likely to have a baby with serious complications including respiratory distress resulting in mechanical ventilation and NICU admission.

7 Jan 2009

Control of blood vessels a possible weapon against obesity

Mice exposed to low temperatures develop more blood vessels in their adipose tissue and metabolise body fat more quickly, according to a new study from Karolinska Institutet. Scientists now hope to learn how to control blood vessel development in humans in order to combat obesity and diabetes.

7 Jan 2009

Simple test kit helps prevent lung cancer caused by radon

Using a simple, inexpensive test to detect radon gas seeping into homes could help prevent lung cancer and save thousands of lives, Acting Department of Environmental Protection Secretary John Hanger said today.

5 Jan 2009

Policymakers, the media and the public should use 20 specific health indicators

Policymakers, the media, and the public should focus on 20 specific health indicators as "yardsticks" to measure the overall health and well-being of Americans, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine.

17 Dec 2008

Breakthrough on type 1 diabetes development

Finnish scientists have reported a breakthrough in the attempts to understand the development of type 1 diabetes.

17 Dec 2008

More can be done to prevent lung disease in Southeast-Asian babies

A simple, effective and low-cost method of preventing lung disease - and therefore death - in newborn children is not being practiced widely enough in South-East Asian hospitals, according to a major international study involving the University of Adelaide, Australia.

17 Dec 2008

Male circumcision may help prevent human papillomavirus infection

Two new studies suggest that male circumcision may assist in the prevention of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, particularly infection with the high-risk subtypes associated with cervical, penile, and other cancers.

17 Dec 2008

Archived blood from infant heel stick tests could lead to discoveries about diseases that have roots in perinatal period

Van Andel Institute (VAI) researchers are the first to apply a new technology to measure on a large scale the presence of genes in blood spots - the blood drawn from newborn infants to screen for health-threatening conditions.

16 Dec 2008

Numbing drugs can have profound and long-term negative effects

A large proteomics study on the brains of newborn mice provides more evidence that numbing drugs often used in obstetric or pediatric medicine can have profound and long-term negative effects, even after minimal exposure.

12 Dec 2008

Merck Serono's Kuvan receives European marketing authorization

Merck Serono, a division of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, today announced that the European Commission has granted marketing authorization for Kuvan(R) for the treatment of hyperphenylalaninemia (HPA) in phenylketonuria (PKU) or BH4 deficient patients.

10 Dec 2008