An AI-enhanced digital stethoscope can help doctors detect a potentially deadly form of heart failure that can occur late in pregnancy, a new clinical trial reports. The AI-driven stethoscope was 12 times more likely than traditional methods to spot heart pump weakness tied to peripartum cardiomyopathy, an uncommon form of heart failure linked to pregnancy,… read on > read on >
All Mommy:
Ketamine Can Fight Depression, But Pregnant Women Face Risks
Ketamine is becoming a popular depression drug, but doctors aren’t keeping in mind the danger it can pose to a pregnancy, a new study warns. Ketamine can be very harmful to a developing fetus and should not be used during pregnancy, researchers said. But only 20% of ketamine clinics require a pregnancy test at least… read on > read on >
Study Debunks Theory Linking Autism to Changes in Brain’s Amygdala
A new brain imaging study has concluded that autism likely isn’t caused by faulty connections to the amygdala. A prevailing hypothesis of autism spectrum disorder has held that people with the condition have poorer neural connections in certain brain regions, including the amygdala. However, researchers found no evidence that people with autism had amygdala connections… read on > read on >
Depressed Adolescents Twice as Likely to Take Up Vaping
A survey of Australian adolescents finds those who are experiencing depressive symptoms have double the risk of taking up vaping. “In the short term, nicotine may reduce feelings of anxiety and stress, and young people may be reaching for vapes as a coping mechanism,” said study co-author Emily Stockings. “Regardless of whether mental ill health… read on > read on >
Researchers Pinpoint Genes Behind Form of Early Menopause
Cases of menopause occurring before the age of 40 can be a major cause of distress and discomfort for women, but researchers now believe they’ve homed in on the condition’s genetic cause. A team at deCODE genetics sought to understand the origins of what’s known as primary ovarian insufficiency, which triggers menopause an average of… read on > read on >
False-Positive Mammogram Result Has Many Women Quitting Mammography
A significant number of women stop getting regular mammograms after being frightened by a “false positive” scan that incorrectly suggests they have breast cancer, a new study finds. About 77% of women return for a regular mammogram after a negative result that shows they’re clearly cancer-free, researchers reported Sept. 2 in the Annals of Internal… read on > read on >
Follow These Steps to Tasty, Healthy School Lunches
SUNDAY, Sept.1, 2024Backpacks. Notebooks. Folders. Pencils. These are all essentials for a good start to your children’s school year, but what about their nutrition? As summer ends and kids return to classrooms, one culinary medicine expert offers up easy ways to help your children eat healthy foods during the school day. School lunches have gotten… read on > read on >
Buying Smokes? Everyone Under 30 Now Must Show ID
A new, tougher rule on the sale of tobacco products will require retailers to check the IDs of any buyers under the age of 30, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Thursday. The final rule, which will go into effect Sept. 30, also restricts tobacco vending machine sales to spaces that are limited to people… read on > read on >
School-Based Mindfulness Programs May Boost Kids’ Mental Health
Teaching schoolkids to practice mindfulness can boost their mental health — and, maybe, even their grades. That’s the takeaway from a new review of more than three dozen research studies on school-based mindfulness interventions, such as seated or slow-walking meditation. In a nutshell, these programs teach kids to pay attention to the present moment and… read on > read on >
Why Breast Feeding May Be Even Healthier for Heavier New Moms
Breastfeeding helps women shed those extra pounds of “pregnancy weight,” a new study finds, and the effect is even more pronounced for moms who were overweight before their pregnancy. Among women who exclusively breastfed their baby during its first year, women who were normal weight prior to pregnancy lost weight, but still retained about three… read on > read on >