A simple blood test may help spot pregnant women who are at risk for developing preeclampsia — dangerously high blood pressure during pregnancy — before it becomes a threat to both mother and child. Marked by a sudden spike in blood pressure, protein in urine or other problems during pregnancy, preeclampsia occurs in about 1… read on > read on >
The Abbott BinaxNOW and Quidel QuickVue — two widely used rapid at-home COVID tests — may sometimes fail to spot evidence of the Omicron variant in the first days after infection, even when people are carrying substantial levels of the virus, preliminary research suggests. The researchers focused on 30 people infected with COVID at five… read on > read on >
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday announced that pre-departure tests for people traveling to the United Kingdom will no longer be required because restrictions meant to contain the international spread of the highly contagious Omicron variant are now meaningless. The change should come as welcome news to people who had refrained from traveling overseas… read on > read on >
Far fewer kids might develop asthma if there were less traffic pollution, suggests a new study that researched the issue worldwide. “Our study found that nitrogen dioxide puts children at risk of developing asthma and the problem is especially acute in urban areas,” said study author Susan Anenberg, a professor of environmental and occupational health… read on > read on >
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday endorsed the emergency use of Pfizer’s booster shots for children ages 12 to 17, expanding protection to adolescents and teens as students return to classes and the highly contagious Omicron variant surges across the country. CDC Director Rochelle Walensky backed a recommendation that came hours… read on > read on >
The number of American women with chronic high blood pressure who are dying during and after pregnancy is up sharply, a new study warns. Of 155 million births in the United States between 1979 and 2018, more than 3,200 mothers died of high blood pressure-related causes— a 15-fold rise over the period. The risk was… read on > read on >
Your at-home COVID-19 test could now come with a higher price tag, depending on where you buy it. Kroger and Walmart stores were selling the test kits at cost or at a discount of up to 35% for 100 days after making a deal with the U.S. federal government, CBS News reported. That ended in… read on > read on >
Getting a COVID-19 vaccine is safe in pregnancy, experts have been saying for months. Now, a new study adds evidence to support that advice. “Getting vaccinated against COVID-19 is important for preventing severe illness in pregnant people,” said study author Dr. Heather Lipkind, an associate professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at the Yale… read on > read on >
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 5, 2021 (HealthDay News) – Be concerned about the rapidly spreading Omicron variant, President Joe Biden urged Americans on Tuesday, but don’t be alarmed. Biden delivered that message to reporters prior to a meeting with his COVID-19 response team, saying he was trying to convey both his administration’s urgency in responding to COVID… read on > read on >
Millions of people are at increased risk of type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure and don’t even know it, due to a hidden hormone problem in their bodies. As many as 1 in 10 people have a non-cancerous tumor on one or both of their adrenal glands that could cause the gland to produce… read on > read on >
