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Infant mortality drops significantly in England's most disadvantaged areas

Infant mortality in some of England's most disadvantaged areas fell by 16% from April 2025 to March 2026 compared with the previous year, according to the latest national data published by the National Child Mortality Database (NCMD) at the University of Bristol.

12 Nov 2026

Researchers identify previously unknown cause of fatal newborn brain disorder

Researchers at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) and King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center (KFSHRC) identify a previously unknown cause of a fatal newborn brain disorder, giving long-awaited answers to families whose children were affected by the disease.

11 Nov 2026

Flint newborn deaths fall 50% after launch of cash support program

A new peer-reviewed study published in JAMA Pediatrics has found that neonatal mortality-the death of an infant within the first 28 days of life- fell by 50% following the launch of Rx Kids, while early neonatal mortality-the death of an infant within the first 7 days of life-fell by 74%.

3 Nov 2026

Reducing opioid medication during pregnancy may not ease neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome

Pregnant patients receiving medication to treat opioid use disorder should not reduce their medication dose out of fear that it will worsen withdrawal symptoms in their newborns, according to a new study led by researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM).

30 Oct 2026

What parents can expect during a stressful NICU stay

Lyndsay Gardner was enjoying a normal, healthy pregnancy until her water broke at 31 weeks. Due around Christmas in 2023, she gave birth to her son just before Halloween instead.

29 Oct 2026

High-fat diets in mouse parents alter offspring brain development

Researchers fed breeding pairs of mice five diets with different fat and sugar contents to examine how parental nutrition affects offspring brain development. High-fat diets, alone or combined with high sugar, delayed early motor development and altered brain structure in young adult offspring, while the high-sugar-only diet produced no significant changes in individual brain regions after correction for multiple comparisons.

28 Oct 2026

Study shows income gaps drive disparities in universal healthcare access

Higher levels of human development are associated with better universal health coverage worldwide, and disparities in coverage between income groups are generally larger than disparities between world regions.

28 Oct 2026

Airborne ESKAPE bacteria pose severe risks to immunocompromised patients

At a clinic in South Africa, researchers have identified airborne ESKAPE bacteria which survive most antibiotic medicines. The clinic is in a densely populated inner-city area.

26 Oct 2026

New guidance expands reproductive care for people with cystic fibrosis

For much of the history of cystic fibrosis (CF) care, reproductive health was not a major part of the conversation. Fertility challenges were the norm for men and women with this genetic disorder, and many grew up assuming biological parenthood was not possible.

23 Oct 2026

Study links abnormal immature astroglia to lower fluid intelligence in older epilepsy patients

A new USC-led study links abnormal immature astroglia, star-shaped cells that support brain function, to lower fluid intelligence, or the ability to solve new problems, in older adults with epilepsy.

20 Oct 2026

Most parents say having a baby costs too much

Welcoming a new baby brings moments of joy, major milestones and significant expenses.

19 Oct 2026

Language barriers limit access to postpartum headache treatment

New mothers with limited English proficiency are less likely to receive the standard treatment for painful and debilitating headaches that can occur if the membrane surrounding the spinal cord is accidentally punctured during an epidural for childbirth, according to a study presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY® 2026 annual meeting.

19 Oct 2026

New immune profiling tool identifies antibodies that trigger preterm births

A typical pregnancy lasts 40 weeks, but for about 1 in 10 pregnant women labor begins too soon. Premature or preterm birth is the leading cause of newborn deaths worldwide.

14 Oct 2026

Replacement chemical for harmful phthalates may restrict fetal growth

A chemical used to make plastic more flexible, once introduced as a safer substitute for older additives now known to be harmful, may itself also be harmful, slowing babies' growth in the womb, a new study shows.

13 Oct 2026

Extreme heat threatens maternal health and newborn wellbeing worldwide

Extreme heat has led to a marked increase in the risks faced by pregnant women and their babies, according to a survey of 1,000 healthcare professionals in countries including Brazil, India and Zimbabwe.

11 Oct 2026

New research reveals the remarkable complexity of human milk

Two major international studies are providing new insight into how human milk is regulated, showing that some components respond to maternal nutrition, while others remain stable or reflect biological processes involved in lactation and infant growth.

10 Oct 2026

Prenatal training may reduce postpartum depression risk in women with previous births

Researchers have shown that prenatal training may reduce the risk of postnatal depression in women, - but only if they have previously had a baby. This surprising finding is presented for the first time at the ECNP Congress in Munich.

9 Oct 2026

HPV vaccination may protect against adverse pregnancy outcomes

Having received the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine before pregnancy is associated with a lower risk of major pregnancy complications including preterm birth, with the greater reduction in risk seen among women vaccinated at an earlier age, finds a large Swedish study published by The BMJ today.

8 Oct 2026

Two-molecule blood test accurately identifies infections in febrile infants

A test that compares the levels of two molecules in the blood is able to accurately distinguish between bacterial and viral infections in newborn babies with fever in a small study presented at the European Emergency Medicine Congress today (Sunday).

27 Sep 2026

Kangaroo care helps smaller babies. Now researchers are studying babies born at normal weight

Researchers examine whether extending SSC beyond the first hour can improve early weight changes, breastfeeding and other maternal and newborn outcomes in normal-birthweight infants.

27 Sep 2026