For children genetically predisposed to develop multiple sclerosis (MS), exposure to cigarette smoke in the family home could raise that risk even higher, new research shows. “A higher genetic MS risk is associated with an increased vulnerability to the negative effects of household smoking on brain development,” conclude a Dutch team led by Dr. Rinze… read on > read on >
In guidelines that may encourage more women to get screened for cervical cancer, a leading health task force has backed giving women over 30 the option to collect their own vaginal samples for testing. Instead of needing to have a complete pelvic exam, these women can now go to a doctor’s office and collect their… read on > read on >
If Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is approved to head the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, he will be free to revisit a long-debunked link between autism and childhood vaccines, President-elect Donald Trump said Sunday. The remarks came during an exclusive interview with “Meet the Press.” “I think somebody has to find out,” Trump… read on > read on >
Women who have had their ovaries removed at a young age and also carry a gene predisposing them to Alzheimer’s disease may face a much higher odds of developing the brain illness, a new study finds. However, the Canadian researchers stressed that any excess risk for dementia among these women can be lessened with hormone… read on > read on >
Many women with epilepsy who are of childbearing age might not realize their anti-seizure drugs can raise the risk of birth defects or dampen the effectiveness of their birth control, a new study warns. Likewise, some birth control methods can cause anti-seizure meds to be less effective, researchers reported Friday in a presentation at the… read on > read on >
Pregnancy can be a trying time for women at best, but new research shows that 1 in every 20 pregnant American women also suffer physical, sexual or emotional abuse. Abuse can take a toll on the mental and physical health of the mom-to-be and her baby, because it’s strongly linked to “delayed prenatal care, depression… read on > read on >
A new AI can help identify women at higher risk for developing breast cancer by tracking changes in breast tissue, a new study shows. The AI compares women’s own mammograms over time, looking for early signs of breast cancer that are tough to see even by a well-trained specialist, researchers said. “Our new method is… read on > read on >
Could a prenatal blood test designed to find abnormalities in a fetus also detect hidden cancer in the mom-to-be? A new study says yes: Scientists report they discovered cancer in nearly half (48%) of expecting mothers with abnormal results on the blood test, known as a prenatal cell-free DNA test. The cancers included colon, breast,… read on > read on >
Hospitals across America are shuttering their obstetric units, and the issue is most acute for women served by rural hospitals, a new study finds. By 2022, a majority (52%) of rural U.S. hospitals no longer had any maternity ward, compared to 36% of urban hospitals, according to a study from the University of Minnesota. Study… read on > read on >
So-called crisis pregnancy centers, often created with an anti-abortion agenda, are providing pregnant women some questionable medical advice alongside potentially helpful services, a new study finds. Nearly a third (30%) of crisis pregnancy centers promote “abortion pill reversal,” researchers reported Dec. 3 in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine. This is “an unproven and potentially dangerous… read on > read on >
