Exposure to wildfire smoke can increase the risk of premature birth, new research suggests. For the study, the researchers reviewed birth certificates and hospital delivery data for more than 2.5 million pregnant women in California from 2007 to 2012, and used satellite images and ZIP codes to compare daily estimates of wildfire smoke intensity. The… read on > read on >
All Mommy:
More Kids Vape Weed in States Where Medical Marijuana Is Legal
It’s not clear why, but youths in U.S. states where medical marijuana is legal report more vaping of cannabis than their peers in states where weed is legal for all adults or it is completely illegal. New research found that about 27% of 12th graders in medical marijuana states reported vaping cannabis compared to 19%… read on > read on >
Marijuana Use in Early Pregnancy Could Raise Risks to the Placenta
FRIDAY, Feb. 10, 2023 (HealthDay News) – New research links cannabis use in the first trimester of pregnancy to poor outcomes, closely related to functioning of the placenta. This is important information given that more U.S. states are legalizing marijuana for recreational use, researchers said. The study findings were presented Thursday at a meeting of… read on > read on >
This Super Bowl, Keep Little Hands From Tip-Over TVs
Watching the big game on a big TV? Keep safety in mind if young children are around. Seven of 10 fatal furniture tip-over incidents in children involve a falling television, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warns. Its latest report on furniture-related tip-over incidents turned up an annual average of 19,400 tip-over injuries treated… read on > read on >
Vaping Could Raise Teens’ Odds for Severe COVID
Healthy young people who vape or smoke may be putting themselves at greater risk for developing severe COVID, new research finds. Both smoking tobacco and vaping electronic cigarettes may predispose people to increased inflammation, future development of severe COVID-19 and lingering cardiovascular complications, said lead study author Dr. Theodoros Kelesidis. He’s an associate professor of… read on > read on >
Toddlers’ Attention to ‘Motherese’ Could Give Clues to Autism
Some toddlers who don’t interact with their parents may have early signs of autism, a new study suggests. Researchers showed kids between 12 and 48 months of age “split-screen” moving images, then used eye tracking to evaluate their attention. Some toddlers who paid closer attention to scenes without people rather than to someone saying playful… read on > read on >
Big Changes Are Coming to U.S. Health Care as Pandemic Emergencies Expire
Americans received unprecedented access to health care during the pandemic, including hassle-free public insurance and free tests, treatments and vaccines for COVID-19. Now, they need to prepare for most of that to unwind, experts say. “Essentially, Congress and the administration moved to a model of universal health coverage for COVID vaccines, treatments and tests” during… read on > read on >
Surge in Severe Strep Cases in Kids Was Really a Return to Normal: CDC
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 8, 2023 (HealthDay News) – While a health alert warned doctors late last year about rising cases of severe strep in children, U.S. officials now say those numbers were actually a return to normal. “Based on preliminary 2022 data, iGAS [invasive group A streptococcal] infections in children have returned to levels similar to… read on > read on >
For Baby’s Sake, Moms-to-Be Need the Whooping Cough Vaccine: CDC
Pregnant women can help protect their newborns from whooping cough by getting a Tdap vaccine during the third trimester of pregnancy. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tracked cases of infant whooping cough between Jan. 1, 2000, and Dec. 31, 2019. The researchers found a link between reduced rates of whooping cough in… read on > read on >
Hispanic, Black Americans on Dialysis Face Higher Risks for Dangerous Infections
Kidney disease patients on dialysis are 100 times more likely to contract a dangerous blood infection than people not receiving the treatment — and that risk is borne primarily by Hispanic and Black Americans, U.S. government health officials say. Hispanic patients are 40% more likely than white patients to develop a staph bloodstream infection while… read on > read on >