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How ‘free from’ and ‘organic’ claims dominate baby food marketing in NZ

A New Zealand study found that all commercial toddler and infant foods carried multiple on-pack claims, often including misleading health, nutrition, or composition messages. Researchers call for tighter regulations to protect caregivers from deceptive marketing.

27 Aug 2025

New NIH Baby Toolbox offers breakthrough in early childhood development screening

Developmental scientists and medical social science experts at Northwestern University have spearheaded the creation of the most recent NIH Toolbox, providing the newest nationally standardized assessment of cognitive, language, motor and social-emotional skill development in infants aged 16 days to 42 months.

26 Aug 2025

Majority of reproductive-aged women face modifiable risks linked to birth defects

An analysis using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) among 5,374 women of reproductive age indicates that two thirds of women within this demographic have at least one modifiable risk factor, such as low folate status or unmanaged diabetes, that can increase the chance of serious birth defects.

26 Aug 2025

Investigating toxicity of common bisphenol replacements in food packaging

Chemicals used to replace bisphenol A (BPA) in food packaging can trigger potentially harmful effects in human ovarian cells, according to McGill University researchers.

26 Aug 2025

Probiotics limit the spread of drug-resistant genes in preemies

Study reveals probiotics help preterm infants develop healthier gut microbiomes, reducing multidrug-resistant bacteria and enhancing neonatal care outcomes.

26 Aug 2025

Genetic testing of IVF-created embryos could help more women over 35 have a baby sooner

Genetic testing of IVF-created embryos could help more women over 35 have a baby in less time, a clinical trial by researchers from King's College London, King's College Hospital, and King's Fertility has found.

25 Aug 2025

KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': Happy 60th, Medicare and Medicaid!

On July 30, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed landmark legislation creating Medicare and Medicaid. Sixty years later, the programs represent a fifth of the federal budget and provide coverage to nearly 1 in 4 Americans.

21 Aug 2025

Try this when your doctor says ‘yes’ to a preventive test but insurance says ‘no’

Trying to figure out why her claim was denied took Anna Deutscher a lot of time and work.

21 Aug 2025

Investigation raises concerns over tooth stem cell banking claims

Parents are spending thousands of pounds to bank stem cells from their children's milk teeth – but the recipient companies' claims about their future medical value are unproven and potentially misleading, reveals an investigation by The BMJ, published today.

21 Aug 2025

Cardiovascular health declines in older adults with heart conditions

U.S. adults, ages 65 and older, with high blood pressure, heart failure or stroke had significant declines in cardiovascular health, according to new research published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open-access, peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.

20 Aug 2025

Dengue antibody may block the spread of Zika virus in vulnerable areas of the body

A new study from the University of Alabama at Birmingham reveals that an antibody originally designed to fight dengue virus may also block the spread of Zika virus in vulnerable areas of the body - including the reproductive organs.

19 Aug 2025

International study tests promising vaccine against 21 strains of pneumococcus

A new vaccine for pneumococcal disease will be tested under an international trial aiming to provide greater protection to babies against the common infection that causes pneumonia, sinusitis and meningitis.

19 Aug 2025

Researchers uncover a novel way platelets can suppress inflammation

Platelets are probably best known for their role in blood clotting, making scabs and related, if less salubrious, contributions to heart attacks and strokes. But these tiny, saucer-shaped blood cells have other physiological duties as well, including surveillance for viral or bacterial infections, the recruitment of immune cells to the site of a suspected incursion, and even the direct destruction of pathogens.

18 Aug 2025

Study shows probiotics help preterm babies fight antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Researchers found that probiotics help reduce antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the guts of very-low-birth-weight preterm infants, but cannot fully prevent resistance genes from spreading. Antibiotic use still promotes gene swapping, highlighting the limits of probiotics alone in neonatal care.

17 Aug 2025

Surprising sweetness differences in popular U.S. infant formulas

A study on infant formulas reveals significant differences in sweetness, highlighting the impact of ingredients on children's nutrition and taste preferences.

14 Aug 2025

Prenatal acetaminophen linked to higher risk of autism and ADHD

Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have found that prenatal exposure to acetaminophen may increase the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), in children.

14 Aug 2025

High-dose vitamin D strengthens bones in very low birth weight infants

Research indicates that high-dose vitamin D improves bone health in very low birth weight preterm infants, highlighting its role in early development.

8 Aug 2025

Mediterranean diet delivers gut health benefits for expectant mothers

A Mediterranean diet during pregnancy significantly alters the maternal gut microbiome, increasing beneficial bacteria, while a mindfulness-based stress reduction program shows more limited effects. Neither intervention affected the vaginal microbiome, and the clinical significance of these changes requires further study.

6 Aug 2025

Prime editing reverses symptoms of severe childhood neurological disease

Scientists use a precise form of gene editing called prime editing to correct the most common genetic mutations that cause alternating hemiplegia of childhood, a rare and severe neurological disorder that begins in infancy.

From The Jackson Labs 6 Aug 2025

SimpleSilo offers affordable lifesaving solution for gastroschisis in low-resource settings

In low-resource settings, babies born with gastroschisis - a congenital condition in which the developing intestines extend outside the body through a hole in the abdominal wall -face life-threatening challenges.

30 Jul 2025