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Combining stem cell therapy with fetal surgery shows promise for treating myelomeningocele

A phase 1 clinical trial published in The Lancet has shown that combining stem cell therapy with standard fetal surgery before birth is a safe and promising approach to treat myelomeningocele, a severe form of spina bifida.

26 Feb 2026

Rising vitamin K shot refusal increases newborn brain injury risk

Increasing numbers of parents are refusing vitamin K shots for their newborns, putting infants at greater risk of avoidable brain injuries, according to a preliminary systematic review released February 26, 2026, that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 78th Annual Meeting taking place April 18-22, 2026, in Chicago and online.

26 Feb 2026

Decoding the purpose of fetal yawns in the womb

Even in the womb, where all oxygen is provided by the parental placenta, fetuses can-and do-yawn. More yawns during observation were associated with a lower weight at birth-potentially indicating mild fetal stress in the womb, according to a study published February 25, 2026 in the open-access journal PLOS One by Damiano Menin, of the Università degli Studi di Ferrara in Italy, and colleagues.

26 Feb 2026

Vitamin B3 shows promise for treating rare genetic disorder

Scientists at Gladstone Institutes have flipped the traditional approach to finding potential treatments for deadly diseases.

25 Feb 2026

RSV and COVID-19 trigger different immune responses in infants

Young infants hospitalized with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) often become much sicker compared to those infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

25 Feb 2026

Having “hasslers” in your network linked to faster aging and poorer health

Researchers analyzed a state-representative US sample to examine whether negative social ties, termed “hasslers,” are associated with epigenetic age acceleration and faster biological aging. Each additional hassler was linked to roughly nine months higher biological age and a 1.5% faster pace of aging, with particularly strong associations for mental health outcomes.

25 Feb 2026

Early-life immune system differences drive childhood eczema risk

A team of researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Weill Cornell Medicine, and other institutions have uncovered a key biological explanation for why eczema so often starts in childhood.

25 Feb 2026

Breakthrough gene therapy for sickle cell disease remains out of reach in Africa

As Uganda rolls out mandatory nationwide screening of newborns for sickle cell disease this month, a gene therapy celebrated in the United States and Europe remains financially out of reach for most patients in Africa.

25 Feb 2026

Study reveals gaps in life-saving antenatal treatments for premature babies

A new global analysis of two antenatal treatments that reduce the risk of cerebral palsy and respiratory complications in premature babies reveals significant international variation in implementation.

25 Feb 2026

Gaps persist in evidence-based care for preterm infants

Prenatal magnesium sulfate and steroids can reduce the risks of cerebral palsy and respiratory complications in preterm infants.

25 Feb 2026

New global guidelines improve reporting of pediatric randomized controlled trials

Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), working with international collaborators and youth and family caregivers, have developed a child- and youth-centred global standard for reporting paediatric randomized controlled trials (RCTs) protocols and final reports.

24 Feb 2026

Parental obesity before conception raises offspring fatty liver risk

Pre-pregnancy parental overweight and obesity is linked to the next generation's heightened risk of developing fatty liver disease, a potential precursor to cirrhosis and liver failure, suggests research published online in the journal Gut.

24 Feb 2026

Teen cannabis use trends mirror established alcohol consumption patterns

A new study published in the journal Addiction shows that cannabis use among Swedish adolescents appears to follow the same population-level pattern previously observed for alcohol.

24 Feb 2026

US measles and pertussis outbreaks expose policy failures, not just vaccine hesitancy

A recent commentary argues that US measles and pertussis outbreaks are not simply the result of vaccine hesitancy but reflect weakened immunization policies, permissive exemptions, and underfunded public health systems. The authors contend that policy environments determine whether pockets of low coverage escalate into large-scale, preventable outbreaks.

24 Feb 2026