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Babies whose mothers were vaccinated against respiratory syncytial virus had less need for drugs against bacterial infections Health 14 March 2022 By Clare Wilson A mother and baby Prostock-studio / Alamy A vaccine against a virus that causes chest infections in young babies has an unexpected effect – it cuts the number of antibiotics given … Read more
If a pregnant woman catches COVID, it’s very rare for the virus to be passed through the placenta to the fetus. But it’s long been known that a mother’s antibodies can cross the placental barrier to the baby and can also be transferred via breast milk after the baby is born. This is why it’s … Read more
South Australia has launched a world-first programme to reduce premature births by testing omega-3 levels during pregnancy and giving supplements when they are low Health 28 February 2022 By Alice Klein Omega-3 fish oil can be taken as daily supplements R_Szatkowski/Shutterstock Giving omega-3 supplements to pregnant women with low levels of this fatty acid could … Read more
Putting cash in the hands of mothers can help shape the brains of their babies, according to a rigorous randomized study in the United States. Family income has been linked to child development numerous times in the past in observational studies, but this is the first time researchers have found direct experimental evidence of how … Read more
Infants and toddlers seem to expect people who exchange saliva, for example by taking bites of the same food, to be close enough to comfort each other if one gets upset Mind 20 January 2022 By Alice Klein Sharing a spoon may be a sign of a close bond kate_sept2004/Getty Images Babies and toddlers can … Read more
Evidence shows that getting a flu jab during pregnancy provides substantial protection to young babies, but uptake in many countries is still concerningly low Health 14 January 2022 By Alice Klein Pregnant women can pass on antibodies to their babies Shutterstock/Rido Babies are two-thirds less likely to get the flu in their first six months … Read more
By Michael Le Page More school-aged children are being infected by omicron, but findings suggest it causes less severe disease than previous variants Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Several countries are reporting record numbers of children being hospitalised as omicron spreads, with babies especially likely to be admitted. While this has led to claims that omicron is … Read more
Babies born at two New York City hospitals in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic scored slightly lower on developmental tests at 6 months of age than did babies born before the pandemic, according to a new study. There were no significant differences between the groups in communication and problem-solving skills. The study, published in JAMA … Read more
Waiting just 60 seconds to clamp umbilical cords gives very premature babies a better shot at life, reducing the risk of death and disability in the first two years of childhood by almost one-fifth, new research shows. The Australian-led study, conducted in 25 hospitals across 7 countries, looked at health outcomes of more than 1,500 … Read more
Maternal body odour signals to babies that they can safely build relationships with other adults, a trait that may have evolved so that mothers can share the load of child rearing Humans 10 December 2021 By Alice Klein A mother and daughter fizkes/Shutterstock Babies are more socially receptive to unfamiliar women when they can smell … Read more