Health News
Cutting the Cord Later
Soon after a baby is born, the umbilical cord is clamped. But just how long those minutes should be, in between birth and clamping, is the subject of some controversy.
Hysterectomy Raises Risk for Early Menopause
A hysterectomy, or surgery to remove a woman’s uterus, is a common procedure used to treat many health conditions, including gynecologic cancer, fibroids and endometriosis.
Mother-Infant Separation is Stressful
It's long been the traditional hospital procedure; after a baby is born, it is whisked away by medical staff to be measured, cleaned and swaddled. Until recent years, newborns were often kept in the nursery away from their mothers.
Preterm Birth Tied to Mom's Lack of Sleep
For a pregnant woman, good sleep is important for both her own health and the development of her growing baby. Not getting enough quality sleep, especially in the first and third trimesters, increases a woman's risk for delivering her baby preterm.
Pregnancy Thyroid Screenings
For women who are pregnant, reduced thyroid function can have adverse effects on both the woman's health, and that of her unborn baby. These effects can include the risk of miscarriage and premature birth, but the universal screening of pregnant women for thyroid disfunction is still controversial due to costs.
Contraceptive Side Effects
Certain birth control pills are more likely to cause serious blood clots than others. The newer forms of progesterone combined with hormonal contraceptives carry a higher risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) than older forms of the pill.
In Vitro for Older Women Works
For older women who are trying to conceive but have unexplained infertility problems, bypassing other fertility treatments and going directly with in vitro fertilization (IVF) appears to improve the odds of getting pregnant.
Blood Test may Detect Down Syndrome
A highly accurate pre-natal test for Down syndrome is now available. With only a sample of a woman's blood in the first or second trimester of pregnancy, the Down Syndrome genetic developmental disorder can be detected.
Weight Doesn't Matter for IVF
For women with fertility issues, in vitro fertilization (IVF) is often a viable treatment. The success or failure of IVF does not seem to be influenced at all by the weight of the women, researchers have found.
Baby-Friendly Hospitals on Horizon
Breastfeeding is one of the most effective preventive measures a mother can take to protect the health of her infant. It lowers medical costs, provides invaluable immunities, and helps protect against childhood obesity and many other illnesses including diabetes, sudden infant death syndrome, respiratory and ear infections.