First Cervical Cancer Screening Delayed Until Age 21 — Less Frequent Pap Tests Recommended. – Women should have their first cervical cancer screening at age 21 and can be rescreened less frequently than previously recommended, reported by US researchers at ACOG.
A team of scientists from the USC has developed a method to detect and quantify the 15 most common fragrance allergens included in soap, gel, cologne and other personal hygiene. – A group of chemists from the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC) has developed a method to quantify the fragrance allergens found in baby bathwater.
Breastfeeding associated with a reduced risk of relapse in women with multiple sclerosis – Women with multiple sclerosis who breastfeed exclusively for at least two months appear less likely to experience a relapse within a year after their baby’s birth, according to a report that will appear in the August print issue of Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Report updates guidelines on how much weight women should gain during pregnancy – Calls on health care providers to help women achieve a healthy weight before and during pregnancy. – A growing amount of scientific evidence indicates that how much weight women gain during pregnancy and their starting weight at conception can affect their health and that of their babies, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council.
The Indian skeleton represents both the earliest archaeological evidence for human infection with Mycobacterium leprae in the world and the first evidence for the disease in prehistoric India. – A biological anthropologist from Appalachian State University working with an undergraduate student from Appalachian, an evolutionary biologist from UNC Greensboro, and a team of archaeologists from Deccan College (Pune, India) recently reported analysis of a 4000-year-old skeleton from India bearing evidence of leprosy.
Taking folic acid for a year before pregnancy may reduce risk of preterm birth. Findings reinforce March of Dimes message: Start taking a vitamin with folic acid before pregnancy. – Women who take folic acid supplements for at least one year before they become pregnant may cut their risk of having a premature baby by half, according to research published this week in the online journal, PLoS Medicine.
Women Live Longer, Not Better, Largely Because of Obesity and Arthritis – Obesity and arthritis that take root during early and middle age significantly contribute to women’s decreased quality of life during their senior years, according to researchers at Duke University Medical Center.
Prenatal meth exposure linked to abnormal brain development. – A first of its kind study examining the effects of methamphetamine use during pregnancy has found the drug appears to cause abnormal brain development in children.
Exposure to epilepsy medicine valproate during pregnancy can impair a child’s cognitive development and IQ. – Three-year-olds whose mothers took the antiepileptic drug valproate during pregnancy had average IQs six to nine points lower than children exposed to three other antiepileptic drugs, a landmark multi-center study has found.
Low levels of vitamin B12 may increase risk for neural tube defects; Vegans, vegetarians may be at risk. – Children born to women who have low blood levels of vitamin B12 shortly before and after conception may have an increased risk of a neural tube defect, according to an analysis by researchers at the National Institutes of Health, Trinity College Dublin, and the Health Research Board of Ireland.
Long-term multivitamin use has no impact on the risk of common cancers, cardiovascular disease or overall mortality in postmenopausal women. – The largest study ever conducted on postmenopausal women shows that multivitamins may offer no benefit in reducing the risk of common cancers, cardiovascular disease or overall mortality.
Department of Public Health Urges Residents to Consider Their Health When Choosing a New Year?s Resolution – The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) is urging people to consider resolutions for a healthy lifestyle for the New Year. Whether your resolution is to take better care of your general health, lose weight, or quit using tobacco, the DPH offers tips and resources to help you succeed in leading a healthier lifestyle.
