The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) is one of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the United States Department of Health and Human Services. It supports and conducts research aimed at improving the health of children, adults, families, and communities, including:Reducing infant deaths Promoting healthy pregnancy and childbirth Investigating growth and human development Examining problems of birth defects and intellectual and developmental disabilities Understanding reproductive health Enhancing function across the lifespan through rehabilitation research