Infants May Not Be as Immune to Measles as Thought

THURSDAY, Nov. 21, 2019 -- A surprising new study upends the notion that antibodies passed from mother to fetus protect infants from measles for as much as a year.

In fact, infants' immunity wanes much more rapidly than once thought, researchers report in the December issue of Pediatrics. The finding drives home the importance of community-wide immunizations.

Umbilical Cord 'Milking' Procedure Dangerous for Preemies: Study

TUESDAY, Nov. 19, 2019 -- Squeezing the last drops of blood from the umbilical cord has been touted to help preterm babies get more of the nutrients they need, but it may be dangerous, a new study finds.

Give HIV-Infected Newborns Meds Right Away to Improve Outcomes

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 27, 2019 -- Giving HIV-suppressing medications to infected babies within hours of birth is feasible and might help doctors eliminate hidden reservoirs of the virus, new research suggests.

"Strategies to test and treat infants immediately after birth may improve outcomes," said study senior author Dr. Mathias Lichterfeld. He's an associate physician of infectious diseases at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.

Good News for Parents: Many Preemie Babies Grow Up Fine

TUESDAY, Oct. 22, 2019 -- Having a premature baby can be frightening for parents, but new research delivers a calming finding: Many premature babies end up as healthy adults without major illnesses.

The study of more than 2.5 million children found that more than half of those born prematurely had no major medical concerns in adulthood.

Many Parents Not Following Safe-Sleep Advice for Babies

MONDAY, Oct. 21, 2019 -- Many U.S. parents are not heeding recommendations on how to put their babies to sleep safely, a new government study finds.

Most babies are being placed on their backs to sleep -- one of the key ways to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), the study found.