Got Blocks? Block play may be associated with enhanced language development in toddlers from middle- and low-income families. Seattle researchers mailed sets of blocks to one group of children and asked parents to keep diaries of their children’s activities over two 24-hour periods during the study. Other children received no blocks, and parents were asked to keep the activity diaries. Parents completed two questionnaires, one at the beginning of the study, and one six months after. “In this pilot study, we found that distributing blocks was associated with significantly higher language scores in a sample of middle- and low-income children,” the authors write. On average, children who received blocks score 15 percent higher on their language assessment than those who did not. The results suggest that a program that distributes blocks may be effective in promoting development. There was no difference found in attention scores between the two study groups. (Not to worry: The kids in the control group got a set of blocks when the study was completed.)

Low Cholesterol and Premature Birth: Researchers out of the National Human Genome Research Institute report that for pregnant women, very low cholesterol may be associated with premature delivery. “Based on our initial findings, it appears that too little cholesterol may be as bad as too much cholesterol during pregnancy, but it is too early to extrapolate these results to the general population. More research is needed to replicate this outcome and to extend it to other groups,” said Dr. Muenke, the study’s senior author and chief of the Medical Genetics Branch in NHGRI’s Division of Intramural Research. “For now, the best advice for pregnant women is to follow the guidance of their health care providers when it comes to diet and exercise.”

IVF Research: Researchers out of Stanford announced that for women over 35 undergoing IVF, who do not want a multiple pregnancy, single blastocyst transfer has a good rate of success. In this particular study, over 62% of the women undergoing the procedure became pregnant, and over 50% went beyond the first trimester. Given that the national success rate of IVF for women over 35 is 25%, the researchers are encouraged. The study’s senior author noted, “This offers reassurance that a woman can still expect a good pregnancy rate without gambling with twins.”

Thanks, Baby! Fetal microchimerism, or the presence of fetal cells in a woman’s bloodstream long after the baby is out and about, may protect a woman against breast cancer, according to a study published in the current issue of the journal Cancer Research. Previous research has suggested that fetal microchimerism may also promote a mother’s immunity and cell repair mechanisms. However, the news is not all good: the cells can also be harbingers of certain autoimmune diseases.