Eight-and-a-half ounces. That’s roughly the weight of two sticks of butter, a roll of quarters, or the cell phone you may be using to read this story. It’s also how much Evelyn Eilers weighed when she was born 17 weeks early at University of Iowa Health Care in September 2023, making her the smallest surviving infant in the U.S., and one of three tied for third-smallest in the world, according to…

As a University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine student on her pediatric nephrology rotation, Lyndsay Harshman (11MD, 14F, 18MS) noticed something about her young patients. Many children who had undergone kidney transplant later struggled to adhere to their medications—a difficulty that could lead to devastating health outcomes. Harshman, whose interest in children’s brain development began…

The Wound and Vein Center at the UI Health Care Medical Center Downtown has long been a leader in wound care with a true dedication to helping give hope and healing to those with complicated and chronic wounds. The Wound and Vein Center was recently honored with a Healogics President’s Circle Award, one of only 34 wound care centers recognized nationally, as well as the Robert A. Warriner III…

Imagine you’re standing in the middle of a glacial expanse on the coast of Antarctica. It’s a balmy minus 18 degrees Fahrenheit with windchill, but with your snug parka on, you can feel the sun doing its darndest to warm your cheeks. In the distance, the peak of Mount Erebus, the world’s southernmost active volcano, exhales an icy breath into the crisp blue sky. The frozen sea is beginning to…

Today I sat in the waiting room with my tween daughter, hurrying from home to be on time. Normally, I pull out my phone and read endless work emails or scroll through another high-drama news story. Sound familiar? I feel like I am a hamster on a wheel, worried if I slow down, I may not be as put together as I hope to be. I stepped off the “wheel” and looked at her ever growing, sweet face. I…

When Liam Mattson visits University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital, it’s not unusual to see the 3-year-old running confidently down corridors or happily typing away on his doctor’s computer. Daniel Hinds, MD, MS, doesn’t care one bit. The pulmonologist says Liam has come a long way since he first saw him nearly a year ago.

As every new parent will tell you, the first few weeks and months after welcoming a newborn are exhausting. It’s easy for new mothers to quickly feel overwhelmed, especially if struggling with breastfeeding, lactating, or other issues that can arise after giving birth. As both a mother and a nurse herself, Claudia Bedell, BSN, RN, knows that showing extra care during this vulnerable time can make…

About half of women over 40 years old have dense breasts according to the CDC. Why does this matter? Women with dense breasts have a higher chance of getting breast cancer. The denser your breasts are, the higher your risk. In November 2023, our breast imaging team in the Department of Radiology began using contrast enhanced mammography as a diagnostic tool for selected patients who were recalled…