baby

Topic description and stories

Mother is holding a tiny hand of her preterm baby that is in the NICU.

Combined steroid and statin treatment could reduce ‘accelerated ageing’ in preterm babies, study in rats suggests

02 Feb 2023

Potentially life-saving steroids commonly given to preterm babies also increase the risk of long-term cardiovascular problems, but a new study in...

Surviving birth

10 Dec 2020

Researchers at one of the busiest maternity hospitals in the world aim to help more women survive complications giving birth.

Premature babies could benefit from changes to drugs administered to at-risk mothers

20 Mar 2019

Scientists at the University of Cambridge have suggested that subtle changes to the drugs administered to mothers threatened with preterm birth or to...

Mother’s attitude towards baby during pregnancy may have implications for child’s development

12 Jun 2018

Mothers who ‘connect’ with their baby during pregnancy are more likely to interact in a more positive way with their infant after it is born...

The researchers found that a high fat and high sugar diet exaggerates metabolic changes in the mother which occur naturally during pregnancy, potentially rendering her more susceptible to health complications.

High fat, high sugar diet during pregnancy 'programs' for health complications in mother and child

06 Apr 2017

Eating a high fat and high sugar diet when pregnant leads to metabolic impairments in both the mother and her unborn child, which may 'program' them...

"Pregnant"., Credit: Free stock image via Pexels.

Placenta plays pivotal “umpire” role to influence pregnancy outcomes

12 Sep 2016

New research provides the first clear evidence that the amount of nutrients transported to the foetus by the placenta adjusts according to both the...

Figure from Mothercare, published by Truby King's daughter, Mary

Too big to cry: when war ended, the damage began

07 Nov 2015

A collection of essays edited by Drs Trudi Tate and Kate Kennedy looks at the legacy of the First World War through the lens of the creative arts. As...

Assisted Reproduction and Family Development: The New Parents Study

01 Nov 2013

Alice Winstanley and Kate Ellis-Davies, are researchers in the Applied Developmental Psychology Research Group working on The New Parents Study , a...

Aristotle's compleat and experienc'd midwife

Much ado about babies

23 Jul 2013

The management of childbirth and care of newborns have always been hotly-debated topics. PhD candidate Leah Astbury looks at narratives of...

“Back To Sleep” message took longer to reach deprived areas

17 Mar 2012

The “Back To Sleep” campaign, which played a crucial role in preventing SIDS in the 1990s, took up to 15 years to work in areas of high socio-...

Weighing in for the Cambridge Baby Growth Study

How does your baby grow?

31 Oct 2011

A study of infant growth, tracking 2,400 babies from gestation to the age of two, has provided data of unique depth – and is already adding to our...

Risk of death higher if born outside working week

15 Jul 2010

Babies born at night or at the weekend are at greater risk of dying due to lack of oxygen (anoxia) than those born during normal working hours...