Even if a teen is at a healthy weight, just thinking they are overweight can greatly raise their odds for self-harm, a new study finds. “What we found was that the perception of being overweight has a much stronger effect of suicidal ideation than the objective measure of weight,” said study lead author Philip Baiden.…  read on >  read on >

Appalachia has a rich history and gorgeous landscapes, but it has also experienced rates of cancer incidence and death that outstrip those of much of the rest of America. However, new data offer hope to the 26 million people living in the region: Cancer rates are falling, although not as steeply as elsewhere in America.…  read on >  read on >

While maternal deaths in the U.S. declined in 2023, Black women still died at more than three times the rate of white women during pregnancy or childbirth, highlighting widening racial disparities in maternal health. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s just-released annual report showed that 669 women died in 2023 of pregnancy-related causes,…  read on >  read on >

Many women may opt for a breast reduction if they encounter issues such as recurrent neck, back and shoulder pain.   However, a new study suggests a link between these procedures in teens and young adult women and later weight gain. “These patients should be targeted for healthy lifestyle changes to prevent weight gain,” said…  read on >  read on >

The Pill prevents pregnancy — and maybe ovarian cancer, too, a new study suggests. Women who’ve ever used the contraceptive pill have a 26% lower risk of ovarian cancer, researchers say. Women who used the pill after age 45 benefit even more, with a 43% lower risk of ovarian cancer, according to findings published in…  read on >  read on >

New moms who’ve just had twins run a high risk of heart disease in the coming weeks and months, a new study suggests. Women have a doubled risk of hospitalization for heart problems within a year of delivering twins, researchers reported Feb. 3 in the European Heart Journal. Their risk is even higher — more…  read on >  read on >

Is fresh better than frozen? Yes, when it comes to in vitro fertilization (IVF), a new clinical trial says. Fresh embryo transfer appears to be a better option than using frozen embryos for women struggling to conceive via IVF, researchers reported Jan. 29 in The BMJ. About 32% of women had a live birth following…  read on >  read on >

FRIDAY, Jan. 31, 2025 — Artificial intelligence (AI) can help doctors detect fetal heart defects, improving newborns’ chances of survival, a new study says. AI-aided analysis of prenatal ultrasounds detected heart defects more quickly and accurately than doctors evaluating the tests on their own, according to findings reported Thursday at a meeting of the Society…  read on >  read on >