The average age for the start of puberty has been dropping for decades. It’s a global trend that could be signaling a public health threat to the physical and psychological development of younger, more vulnerable swaths of the population. Still, there’s no clear culprit for early puberty; it’s a complicated puzzle with many scattered pieces. At the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), pediatric neuroendocrinologist Dr. Natalie Shaw has been assembling the pieces together and recently found a new lead hiding in plain sight.
Pregnancy is by no means necessary for motherhood, but it is necessary for life. And it's no picnic. A pregnant person can experience complications like anemia, UTIs, hypertension, diabetes, and exhaustion. Maintaining maternal health during pregnancy can be challenging, but it is integral for the health of the fetus. Dr. Diana Bianchi is a physician-scientist and the director of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), where she works to improve care for the mommy-baby unit.
