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A premature infant drinking from a bottle
In Search of the Best Milk Recipe for Preemies’ Gut Bacteria
Milk fortifiers of human origin show no evident advantage in the development of the gut microbiota of premature infants over fortifiers derived from cows, while the intake of the mother’s own milk does, two studies suggest.
In Search of the Best Milk Recipe for Preemies’ Gut Bacteria
In Search of the Best Milk Recipe for Preemies’ Gut Bacteria

Milk fortifiers of human origin show no evident advantage in the development of the gut microbiota of premature infants over fortifiers derived from cows, while the intake of the mother’s own milk does, two studies suggest.

Milk fortifiers of human origin show no evident advantage in the development of the gut microbiota of premature infants over fortifiers derived from cows, while the intake of the mother’s own milk does, two studies suggest.

babies

Baby with spotted onsie about to get injection of vaccine
Antibiotics Tied to Lower Effectiveness of Childhood Vaccines
Natalia Mesa, PhD | Apr 28, 2022 | 2 min read
Use of the drugs in children under the age of two was associated with lower antibody levels after the jabs—perhaps, researchers suggest, due to microbiome alterations.
babies
Sex Ratios at Birth Linked to Pollutants
Chloe Tenn | Dec 3, 2021 | 2 min read
A large, long-term study across the US and Sweden finds potential correlations between specific pollutants and the proportions of male and female babies born.
ribbon model of phenylalanine hydroxylase enzyme
Noncoding RNA Improves Symptoms in Mice with Metabolic Disorder
Abby Olena, PhD | Aug 6, 2021 | 4 min read
A long noncoding RNA from humans appeared to help the enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase work better in a mouse model of phenylketonuria, the disorder characterized by reduced activity of that enzyme.
Baby Bottles Can Shed Millions of Microplastic Particles: Study
Max Kozlov | Oct 19, 2020 | 5 min read
The project did not assess any implications for children’s health, but the authors recommend changing up how parents use baby bottles to reduce the amount of plastic in formula or breastmilk.
Image of the Day: Prehistoric Baby Bottles
Emily Makowski | Sep 26, 2019 | 1 min read
Infants may have been drinking animal milk from vessels for thousands of years.
US Senators Call for International Guidelines for Germline Editing
Jef Akst | Jul 16, 2019 | 2 min read
In the wake of reports of CRISPRed babies born in China, a bipartisan resolution “opposes the experiments that resulted in pregnancies using genome-edited human embryos.”
Image of the Day: Wiggles and Squirms
Carolyn Wilke | Mar 29, 2019 | 1 min read
An artificially intelligent program tracks the motion of infants to help doctors look for links to disorders with abnormal motions.
China Proposes New Gene-Editing Regulations
Jef Akst | Feb 27, 2019 | 2 min read
After the controversy of a Chinese scientist who was involved in editing the genomes of twin girls, the country puts forth tighter guidelines.
Breastmilk from Mothers Who Pump Has a Different Microbial Makeup
Carolyn Wilke | Feb 13, 2019 | 2 min read
In a study of nearly 400 breastfeeding mothers, researchers find links between directly feeding the child and a more diverse microbiota, compared to milk from pumping.
Image of the Day: In Sync
Carolyn Wilke | Jan 3, 2019 | 1 min read
At playtime together, parents’ brain activity mimics that of their infant children.
First Child Delivered from Womb Transplanted from Dead Donor
Carolyn Wilke | Dec 5, 2018 | 2 min read
The girl was born in Brazil in December 2017.
Second CRISPR-Modified Pregnancy May Be Underway
Ashley P. Taylor | Nov 28, 2018 | 2 min read
He Jiankui, who reportedly edited the genomes of two babies already, broke the news at a conference in Hong Kong.
Rice University Professor Helped Generate CRISPR’d Babies
Ashley P. Taylor | Nov 27, 2018 | 1 min read
The college has opened an investigation into Michael Deem’s involvement.
Genetic Mutation Linked to Cot Death
Catherine Offord | Mar 29, 2018 | 2 min read
Alterations to a protein involved in breathing may help explain some cases of sudden infant death syndrome, a study finds.
Q&A: Sequencing Newborns
Tracy Vence | Oct 21, 2016 | 2 min read
Members of the BabySeq Project discuss trial enrollment, preliminary findings.
Early-Life Microbiome
Tracy Vence | Jun 16, 2016 | 2 min read
Analyzing the gut microbiomes of children from birth through toddlerhood, researchers tie compositional changes to birth mode, infant diet, and antibiotic therapy.
First Uterus Transplant in U.S.
Jef Akst | Mar 1, 2016 | 2 min read
Less than six months after a woman in Sweden gave birth to a healthy baby from a transplanted womb, doctors in Cleveland begin a clinical trial to test the procedure in 10 US women.
Monitoring the Development of Adaptive Immunity
Anna Azvolinsky | Feb 25, 2015 | 3 min read
Sequencing cells from human fetal blood samples, researchers track the development of the adaptive immune system throughout gestation.   
Newborn Immune Systems Suppressed
Ed Yong | Nov 6, 2013 | 3 min read
Cells that temporarily restrain their immune systems give babies’ gut bacteria a chance to settle down. 
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