There’s more proof that getting a flu shot during pregnancy doesn’t pose a risk to children’s health. “This study adds to what we know from other recent studies showing no harmful effects of flu vaccination during pregnancy on the longer-term health of children,” said study leader Dr. Deshayne Fell, an associate professor of epidemiology at…  read on >  read on >

The coronavirus pandemic has affected American smokers in different ways, a new study finds. While some smoked more to help them cope with the crisis, others quit to reduce their COVID-19 infection risk. “Even before the pandemic, tobacco smoking was the leading preventable cause of death in the United States. COVID-19 has given smokers yet…  read on >  read on >

Pool and spa drowning deaths among U.S. children are spiking upwards, and restrictions related to the COVID pandemic may also mean that fewer kids are getting the swimming lessons that might keep them safe, the Consumer Product Safety Commission warns. On average, there were about 400 reported pool/spa drowning deaths among children younger than age…  read on >  read on >

Heavy drinking reduces a woman’s chances of getting pregnant, and even moderate drinking during the second half of the menstrual cycle is associated with a reduced likelihood of conceiving, according to a new study. The new research involved 413 American women aged between 19 and 41 who were recruited between 1990 and 1994 and followed…  read on >  read on >

While some people may be ready and eager to reconnect with family and friends at social gatherings post-pandemic, it’s OK to feel apprehensive. As restrictions loosen because infection rates are plummeting and more people are getting vaccinated, many people are experiencing feelings that they didn’t expect — such as anxiety about returning to social situations,…  read on >  read on >

ADHD medications might help lessen the risk of suicide in children with serious behavioral issues, a new study suggests. Researchers found that medications like Ritalin and Adderall, commonly prescribed for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), were linked to a lower risk of suicidal behavior among 9- and 10-year-olds with substantial “externalizing” symptoms. That included children with high…  read on >  read on >

Jay-Fay Fraser was in the back seat of her father’s sedan, heading home from feeding the homeless on Thanksgiving 2016, when another car rear-ended them on the highway. The driver’s seat collapsed backward from the sudden force of the rear impact, slamming into Jay-Fay’s head, her mother, Michelle Fraser, recounted. “She lurched forward, the seat…  read on >  read on >

New research suggests that many people who’ve undergone an organ transplant do not get an immune response from COVID-19 vaccines that’s strong enough to ward off a “breakthrough” infection. In a new review of 14 such cases, these breakthrough COVID-19 infections occurred in 10 recipients of new kidneys, two liver recipients, one lung recipient and…  read on >  read on >