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Maternal vitamin D deficiency may accelerate fetal aging and impact newborn health

Maternal vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy is linked to accelerated epigenetic gestational age in infants at birth, suggesting improper fetal development influenced by low vitamin D levels. The study also found associations between maternal age, birth height, and epigenetic aging, though cord blood vitamin D showed no significant impact.

22 Jan 2025

Study uncovers blood signatures linked to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

New University of Virginia School of Medicine research revealing the fingerprints of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome within blood samples could open the door to simple tests to identify babies at risk.

22 Jan 2025

Pregnant women often left out of drug trials, study finds

A new study by researchers from the Brown University School of Public Health found that pregnant women are regularly excluded from clinical drug trials that test for safety, raising concerns for the efficacy of these medications for maternal and child health.

21 Jan 2025

Smartwatch data unlocks new insights into psychiatric illnesses

Smartwatches that can collect physical and physiological data on users could be potentially interesting tools in biomedicine to gain a better understanding of brain diseases and behavioral disorders and possible driver mutations related to these pathologies.

21 Jan 2025

Investing in adolescent mental health delivers long-term economic and social benefits

The study reveals that supporting adolescent mental health is a cost-effective investment, leading to improved economic outcomes and reduced fiscal pressures.

20 Jan 2025

Early pregnancy weight gain contributes to excess fat distribution in fetuses

Fetuses of pregnant people 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 the National Institutes of Health.

17 Jan 2025

Drug in breast cancer trials shows potential for treating blood cancers

Two new studies led by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have identified a possible way to block the progression of several forms of blood cancer using a drug already in clinical trials against breast cancer.

16 Jan 2025

Scientists unveil global patterns in early-life gut microbial evolution

Scientists reveal that early-life gut microbiome development follows universal patterns, paving the way for new benchmarks in child health assessments.

15 Jan 2025

Study identifies molecular mechanisms behind gestational diabetes progression

Among those who have had gestational diabetes, about 35% will develop type 2 diabetes within a decade.

15 Jan 2025

A new framework for assessing the impact of chemicals on child health

Nations must start testing and regulating chemicals and chemical products as closely as the current systems that safeguard prescription drugs or risk rising rates of chronic illnesses among children, according to a New England Journal of Medicine report by a group of experts writing as the Consortium for Children's Environmental Health.

9 Jan 2025

Research highlights depression trends in community-dwelling older adults

Marked variation in the prevalence of depression was found in a multisite sample of community-dwelling older adults in the United States reports a study by Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.

8 Jan 2025

Collaborative effort targets better nutrition for pregnant women and children

Poor nutrition during pregnancy can have serious consequences for both maternal and child health.

8 Jan 2025

Green space access boosts effectiveness of screen time reduction programs

When children have a place to play outside, programs aimed at reducing their screen time use are more successful, according to a University of Michigan study.

6 Jan 2025

Study reveals poor diet quality among pregnant and postpartum individuals

New research from the University of Massachusetts Amherst finds a pervasive low-quality diet among pregnant and postpartum individuals, reflecting "an urgent need for widespread improvement."

19 Dec 2024

New molecular insights into the early stages of Rett syndrome

Scientists investigating the severe developmental disorder known as Rett syndrome have discovered a series of crucial molecular changes that occur long before symptoms appear.

19 Dec 2024

Study reveals significant improvements in the health of older adults in England

A new study from the Robert N. Butler Columbia Aging Center at the Mailman School of Public Health reveals significant improvements in the health of older adults in England when compared to previous generations.

19 Dec 2024

Researchers gain new insights into the molecular changes leading to Rett syndrome

Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute (Duncan NRI) at Texas Children's Hospital and collaborating institutions have gained new insights into the molecular changes leading to Rett syndrome, a severe neurological disorder caused by mutations in the MeCP2 gene encoding methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2).

16 Dec 2024