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Element Biosciences introduces VITARI™, redefining what high-throughput sequencing makes possible

Element Biosciences Inc. today announced VITARI, the first ever high-throughput benchtop sequencing system capable of delivering a high-quality whole genome at $100.

25 Feb 2026

Standard doses of antidepressants during pregnancy appear to be safe, study suggests

Using a standard dose of antidepressants during pregnancy appears to be safe for the baby, suggests new research from the University of Oslo and Akershus University Hospital.

24 Feb 2026

Rytvela lowers inflammation and improves newborn survival in preclinical study

New research shows that Rytvela, an anti-inflammatory drug candidate, decreased premature birth and infant mortality when administered after the onset of preterm labor in a preclinical mouse model.

23 Feb 2026

Researchers call for personalized tiered model of postpartum care

A new study from researchers at the University of Liverpool and King's College London reveals that whilst women may value the convenience of virtual postpartum care, they remain concerned about the need for physical examinations and how to access them.

23 Feb 2026

Combining gene and biomarker screening for newborn health

For more than six decades, biomarker-based newborn screening has played a pivotal role in reducing infant mortality and long-term disability by enabling early detection of metabolic and endocrine disorders.

23 Feb 2026

New Orleans brings back the house call, sending nurses to visit newborns and moms

When Lisa Bonfield gave birth to daughter Adele in late November, she was thrust into the new world of parenting, and faced an onslaught of challenges and skills to learn: breastfeeding, diapering, sleep routines, colic, crying, and all the little warning signs that something could be wrong with the baby.

23 Feb 2026

Early hydrocortisone treatment improves survival for extremely premature babies

Early hydrocortisone treatment of extremely premature babies increases their chances of survival without lung disease, according to a study led by Linköping University. The study also shows that the treatment is safe to give.

19 Feb 2026

Study reveals widespread prenatal exposure of babies to forever chemicals

Babies born between 2003 and 2006 were exposed to many more "forever chemicals" before birth than scientists previously understood, according to new research published in Environmental Science & Technology.

18 Feb 2026

SSRI use during pregnancy linked to gestational diabetes risk and early adaptation problems in newborns

An international team of researchers has found that the use of SSRI antidepressants during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of gestational diabetes and early adaptation problems in newborns, even after taking maternal depression into account.

13 Feb 2026

Safety perceptions of major vaccines show significant drop over the past three years

In a winter marked by flu outbreaks, the persistence of Covid-19, and surges of measles cases across the United States, an Annenberg survey finds that a sizable majority of Americans think the three vaccines that combat these potentially deadly illnesses are safe to take, although perceptions of the safety of all three vaccines showed a statistically significant drop over the past three years.

10 Feb 2026

Novel computational framework developed for real-time, personalized heart rate variability monitoring

Real-time and early detection of minute changes in the functioning of the cardiovascular system is crucial for managing critically ill patients, such as newborns and older adults, and can significantly affect their outcomes.

10 Feb 2026

High-dose motor therapy improves outcomes after perinatal stroke

In infants and toddlers who had a stroke before birth or as a newborn (28 days or younger), a treatment that combined restricting the use of the stronger arm with intensive task-oriented physical therapy led to improved function and skill gained on the weak side compared to standard care, according to preliminary late-breaking science presented today at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2026.

7 Feb 2026

Next-generation sequencing expands possibilities for newborn screening

Every year, millions of newborns undergo routine screening as a preventive strategy to detect inherited disorders before symptoms emerge.

4 Feb 2026

Updated newborn screening guidelines aim to improve cystic fibrosis detection

An updated report on cystic fibrosis (CF) from Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, in partnership with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), highlights the new national guidelines on CF newborn screening that aim to detect affected babies earlier, more accurately and more fairly.

1 Feb 2026

Study offers hope for preventing hydrocephalus in children

Hydrocephalus is a life-threatening condition that occurs in about 1 in 1,000 newborns and is often treated with invasive surgery. Now, a new study offers hope of preventing hydrocephalus before it even occurs.

30 Jan 2026

Umbilical cord blood markers may predict future type 1 diabetes

One day, there could be a new test to screen for type 1 diabetes, now that scientists have found markers in the blood of the umbilical cords of children who were later diagnosed with the disease.

29 Jan 2026

Zebrafish can play a decisive role in clinical interpretation of spinal muscular atrophy

The tiny zebrafish is helping researchers rapidly determine whether a newborn's genetic mutation is likely to cause spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), one of the leading causes of infant mortality worldwide.

28 Jan 2026

Redefining early detection for type 1 diabetes

Researchers have identified a protein pattern that, already at birth, looks markedly different in those who later go on to develop type 1 diabetes. The findings show that a combination of several factors during pregnancy increases the risk of the child later developing the disease. The study is published in Nature Communications and was led by researchers at Linköping University, Sweden, and the University of Florida, USA.

28 Jan 2026

Alterations in liver metabolism experienced by individuals with Down syndrome

Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome (Crnic Institute) have uncovered compelling evidence that individuals with Down syndrome experience significant alterations in liver metabolism, including elevated levels of bile acids in the bloodstream and other biomarkers of liver dysfunction.

22 Jan 2026

AI predicts health outcomes for premature newborns from blood samples

An artificial intelligence-based tool can predict the medical trajectories of individual premature newborns from blood samples collected soon after they are born, a Stanford Medicine-led study has shown.

21 Jan 2026