Mothers of fussy babies at higher risk of depressive symptoms

It’s no secret that fussy newborns can be especially challenging for parents already facing physical and mental exhaustion from caring for a new baby. But now science backs up the impact on parents: The less soothable the infant, the more distressed the mother. Mothers of highly irritable infants experience greater depressive symptoms, according to new University of Michigan-led research. The […]

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Romania shuts hospital after babies diagnosed with superbug

Romanian health authorities on Friday temporarily closed a maternity hospital in the capital after 13 babies born there recently were diagnosed with a drug-resistant superbug. The Health Ministry said the Giulesti Maternity Hospital in Bucharest would stop admissions after the newborns were diagnosed with antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. The hospital said it had canceled dozens of cesarean section operations planned for […]

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Babies born with broken hearts

More than 35,000 babies are born with life-threatening congenital heart defects every year in the United States. Fetal single ventricle defects can be identified with echocardiograms. In the first months of life, surgeries can correct these defects, but tragically, about 25 percent of babies do not make it through the first surgery. Researchers are exploring how irregular filling mechanics—the process […]

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Using the microbiome to help premature babies grow

About half of babies born prematurely struggle to grow, putting them at risk of health problems that can last a lifetime. Despite years of research, physicians lack a method that consistently helps these infants thrive. A study suggests that the gut microbiome – the trillions of tiny bacteria that live in the digestive tract – could help doctors personalize nutrients […]

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The molecules that energize babies’ hearts

A metabolic process that provides heart muscle with energy fails to mature in newborns with thickened heart walls, according to a Japan–Canada research team. Hokkaido University cardiologist Arata Fukushima, along with a team of University of Alberta scientists led by Gary Lopaschuk, examined the heart tissue of 84 newborns who had undergone surgery for congenital heart disease. Many patients with […]

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Reading and singing to preemies helps parents feel comfortable with their fragile babies

One out of 10 babies is born prematurely in the United States. These babies typically are cared for in neonatal intensive care units, often called NICUs. Traditional NICUs have an open-bay design where multiple babies are cared for in a large room. More recently, single-family room NICUs have emerged and have led to a variety of positive medical, developmental and […]

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