Credit: iStock/PIKSEL Becoming a parent changes how you see everything, including science. As a physiology PhD trainee and former Navy hospital corpsman who practiced medicine in a mid-level role, I’ve spent years learning how the body works under pressure. I didn’t expect my most meaningful physiology lesson to happen in a delivery room. My son … Continue reading Seeing Parenthood Through a Physiology Lens
Infant Health
Protecting Pregnancy When Blood Types Differ
A classical depiction of Queen Niobe grieving her child, intertwined with symbolic antibodies and red blood cells to represent Rh incompatibility. Credit: Amin Mohajeri In Greek mythology, Queen Niobe’s pride led to her children’s death, and her endless grief turned her into stone. The human body, too, can be undone by its own devotion: A … Continue reading Protecting Pregnancy When Blood Types Differ
How Breastfeeding Shapes the Gut Microbiome
Credit: iStock Human milk is often called “liquid gold” for its incredible benefits for infants. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends exclusive breastfeeding from the first hour after birth until the baby is 6 months old, and continuing breastfeeding along with complementary foods for up to two years. However, worldwide, fewer than half of infants … Continue reading How Breastfeeding Shapes the Gut Microbiome
Research and Education Help Babies Born Too Early
A typical pregnancy lasts 40 weeks, but about 10 percent of babies in the U.S. are born preterm (before 37 weeks’ gestation) or premature. Less time in the womb means the infants’ organs are immature and not yet ready to function on their own. Generally, the earlier a preterm birth happens, the more likely it … Continue reading Research and Education Help Babies Born Too Early