News
Pregnant Moms Gaining ‘Adequate’ Weight Can Offset Kid’s Future Metabolic Risks
The children born to women who gain an appropriate or adequate amount of weight during pregnancy are significantly more likely to have healthier markers of metabolic risk at 10 years of age than children born to women who gain an excessive amount of weight.
Read MoreTea and Coffee Lower Blood Pressure in Large French Registry
Good news for caffeine lovers! A large French analysis showed that drinking tea or coffee was associated with a small but statistically significant reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
Read MoreACOG Advises Ob-Gyns to Promote Vaccinations to Patients
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends its members encourage their patients to be vaccinated against human papillomavirus virus (HPV), influenza, tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis, according to new guidelines published on the ACOG Web site March 21. Committee Opinion number 558, to be published in Obstetrics & Gynecology on April 1, is the work of the Immunization…
Read MoreLess-Invasive Surgery Tied to Lower Costs, Less Absenteeism
Minimally-invasive forms of heart surgery and fibroid removal may be less expensive – and cause patients to take fewer days off from work – than standard versions of the same procedures, a new study suggests. Researchers looking at six common surgeries found that if every one of them done in the U.S. in 2009 had…
Read MoreHPV and Other Vaccinations Lagging in Teens
Many teens are still not getting the recommended vaccines, and fewer parents plan to give their adolescent daughters the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine because of concerns about its safety, despite increased clinician recommendations, according to an analysis of data from the 2008–2010 National Immunization Survey of Teens. Paul M. Darden, MD, professor and section chief…
Read MoreOmega-3 DHA May Prevent Earliest Preemies
For pregnant women, supplements of the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) may help to reduce the likelihood of giving birth very prematurely, according to a new study. The results add to evidence that omega-3 fatty acid supplements make pregnancy last a little longer. That’s important for women in the U.S., who have shorter pregnancies…
Read MoreSevere Hot Flashes a Burden to Women, Society
Severe menopausal vasomotor symptoms (VMS) are significantly associated with lower work productivity, lower levels of health status, and greater use of healthcare resources. Jennifer Whitely, EdD, from Pfizer Inc, New York City, and colleagues report results from the 2010 US National Health and Wellness Survey online February 11 in Menopause. The study adds to our understanding of the…
Read MoreStudy Links Smoking Bans to Fewer Pre-Term Births
Banning smoking in enclosed public places may lead to lower rates of preterm birth, according to Belgian researchers who say the findings point to health benefits of smoke-free laws even in very early life. It is well known that smoking during pregnancy can stunt the growth of unborn babies and shorten gestation, and that second-hand…
Read MoreMore Evidence Prenatal Folic Acid May Lower Autism Risk
More evidence suggests that prenatal folic acid supplementation may lower the risk of developing autism. A population-based cohort study of almost 85,000 children in Norway showed that those children whose mothers used supplemental folic acid early in pregnancy had 39% lower odds of having autistic disorder than those whose mothers did not use the supplements….
Read MoreSeasonal Flu Vaccine Safe in Early Pregnancy, Study Confirms
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Dec 20 – A new study provides additional reassurance on the safety of trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine during the first trimester of pregnancy, say researchers with the Vaccine Safety Datalink team in a paper published today. “We found no increased risk of spontaneous abortion during a four-week exposure window after vaccination….
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