There was a 6.5% drop in premature births from cesarean sections and induced deliveries in the United States during the pandemic, likely because pregnant women made fewer visits to their doctors, researchers report. They said their findings raise questions about whether some decisions made by doctors during pregnancy may lead to unnecessary preterm births, defined… read on > read on >
Too few sexually active teens are getting tested for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), according to a new report by U.S. health officials. In all, just 20% of sexually active high school students said they were tested for an STD — now called sexually transmitted infections (STIs) — in the past year, according to researchers from… read on > read on >
Rising numbers of coronavirus infections in the United States are not surprising and not yet a cause for alarm, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious doctor, said Sunday. There are an average of 31,000 new cases a day nationwide, a 3% increase from two weeks ago, according to a New York Times database. However,… read on > read on >
Older children and teens are the most vulnerable to severe cases of a rare inflammatory disorder that can occur in youngsters who’ve had COVID-19, a new study finds. It included 232 children aged 18 and younger who were admitted to 15 hospitals in Canada, Costa Rica and Iran with suspected multi-system inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) between… read on > read on >
When women go into pregnancy with mild high blood pressure, treating the condition can cut the risk of health threats to themselves and their babies, a new clinical trial has shown. Experts said the findings could change the way many women have their blood pressure managed during pregnancy. Until now, the value of treating pregnant… read on > read on >
When implanted heart devices get infected, doctors recommend surgery to remove them, but many patients ignore that advice, a new study reveals. More than eight in 10 patients with an infected implant (such as a defibrillator or pacemaker) choose antibiotic treatment instead, though it puts their life at risk. Having the devices removed carries a… read on > read on >
Just weeks after dropping masking rules, some overseas airlines have canceled hundreds of flights as they struggle with staffing shortages related to COVID-19. This comes as the leading U.S. airlines have urged the Biden administration to scrap a mask mandate for passengers. Swiss airline EasyJet removed its mask mandate on March 27, after the United… read on > read on >
U.S. medical schools are not keeping pace with a nation that is more racially and ethnically diverse every day, a new study reports. The schools’ clinical faculty and leadership are not as diverse as the communities around them, though there are some positive developments, according to the findings. It is not enough to set diversity… read on > read on >
Humans and their pets tend to share a tight bond, but they may also share antibiotic-resistant bacteria, new research shows. Even worse for humans is the fact that these bacteria may contain antibiotic-resistant genes that can make the bacteria they already have in their bodies resistant to some antibiotics, such as penicillin and cephalosporins, the… read on > read on >
