Popular teens pay a price for being so well-liked by their peers, a new study shows. The popular crowd are less likely to get the 8 to 10 hours of sleep recommended for teenagers each night, researchers found. In fact, the more popular a teen is, the less time they spend snoozing, results show. The… read on > read on >
All Mommy:
Years Prior to Menopause Are Danger Zone for Depression
Women approaching menopause appear to be at higher risk of depression, a new review indicates. Women in the transition period prior to menopause are 40% more likely to experience depression than premenopausal women, according to pooled data from seven studies involving more than 9,100 women around the world. The results show that women heading into… read on > read on >
School Entry Rules Boost Kids’ HPV Vaccination Rates
Getting the HPV shot in adolescence can spare kids a lifetime of risk for cervical and other cancers related to the virus, but only half of American kids are up-to-date on these shots. Now, a new review suggests that if schools mandate HPV shots as an entry requirement for students, immunization rates rise. “A majority… read on > read on >
For Parents of Kids with Food Allergies, Social Media Can Bring Support — and Stress
Having a child with food allergies isn’t easy to manage, and now new research shows that most of these parents turn to social media for medical advice. When they do, some of the advice is good and some is not, researchers report. In the study, published recently in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology,… read on > read on >
All Women Need Mammograms Beginning at Age 40, Expert Panel Says
All women should start getting mammograms every other year beginning at age 40, the nation’s top panel of preventive health experts announced Tuesday. About 20% more lives can be saved from breast cancer by moving the regular screening age up to age 40, rather than starting at age 50, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force… read on > read on >
Another Teen Vaping Danger: Toxic Lead, Uranium
Teens who vape frequently are exposing themselves to harmful metals like lead and uranium, a new study finds. Lead levels in urine are 40% higher among intermittent vapers and 30% higher among frequent vapers, compared to occasional vapers, results show. And urinary levels of uranium were twice as high among frequent vapers as occasional vapers,… read on > read on >
1 in 4 U.S. Women Will Have an Abortion in Their Lifetime
As the battle over abortion continues to rage in the courts and American politics, a new report estimates that one in every four U.S. women will undergo the procedure during their lifetime. The study was issued by the Guttmacher Institute, a research and policy organization focused on sexual and reproductive health that supports access to abortion. … read on > read on >
U.S. Births Declined in 2023, Marking End to Post-Pandemic Rise
The short post-pandemic uptick in U.S. births may be over, with 2023 numbers showing a decline in births. According to provisional data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, just under 3.6 million babies were born in America in 2023, about 76,000 fewer than the year before. It’s also the lowest number of… read on > read on >
Opioids During Pregnancy May Not Raise Psychiatric Risks for Offspring
Prescription opioids taken during pregnancy are not associated with a substantial increase in risk of developmental disorders like ADHD in children, a new study has found. “A slightly increased risk of neuropsychiatric disorders was found, but this should not be considered clinically meaningful” because it was limited to mothers taking more than one opioid, prescribed… read on > read on >
There’s an ‘Epidemic’ of Loneliness Among U.S. Parents, Poll Finds
Anne Helms is one busy mom, constantly juggling the demands of working from home with parenting two young children. Despite that whirl of activity, Helms says she often feels isolated and lonely. “I work from home full time and I actually have a job where I’m on camera a lot and I’m Zoom calling people… read on > read on >