A new combo pill can substantially reduce bleeding caused by uterine fibroids — possibly offering some women yet another alternative to surgery, a new trial finds. The once-daily medication, which combines a drug called relugolix with estrogen and progestin, is not yet approved in the United States. But it is under review by the U.S.…  read on >  read on >

Worried or wondering about COVID-19 vaccines? Many Americans are, so experts at Penn State Health are offering some reassuring insight. “People are approaching this vaccine with more hesitation because it was approved quickly, but that really just speaks to how far we have come in vaccinology,” said Dr. Mohammad Ali, an infectious disease physician at…  read on >  read on >

Pregnant women have high COVID-19 infection rates — especially women of color — and they should be near the front of the line for vaccines across the United States, researchers say. “Our data indicates that pregnant people did not avoid the pandemic as we hoped that they would, and communities of color bore the greatest…  read on >  read on >

Today’s young athletes push themselves harder than ever before, which raises their odds for injury, experts say. But there are proven ways to minimize injury rates, according to the Stanford Children’s Health sports medicine team. Here’s what they suggest: Prepare for the season: Develop a comprehensive conditioning program for the off-season or when there are…  read on >  read on >

Diabetes is never an easy disease to manage, but coping with type 1 diabetes can be a particularly difficult challenge for teens. The transition from childhood to adolescence can be hard on both kids and parents, the JDRF (formerly the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) says. As boys and girls with type 1 diabetes enter puberty…  read on >  read on >

Many patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 could become “long haulers,” suffering symptoms months after they clear their non-life-threatening infection, new research shows. About 33% of COVID-19 patients who were never sick enough to require hospitalization continue to complain months later of symptoms like fatigue, loss of smell or taste and “brain fog,” University of…  read on >  read on >

When clinical psychologist Maggie Sibley thinks about the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, she worries most about the older teens who may drop out of high school and those kids who may be experiencing depression. It would be hard to argue that this year hasn’t been difficult for…  read on >  read on >

Severe winter weather has a grip on much of the United States, which increases the risk of injuries from slipping on ice, shoveling, sports such as skiing and sledding, and car crashes. “One of the most frequently seen causes for visits to the emergency room this time of year is from slipping on icy sidewalks,”…  read on >  read on >

The greatest threat from COVID-19 has been for Black and Hispanic Americans, who are three times more likely to be hospitalized and about twice as likely to die from an infection with the novel coronavirus, compared with white people. Now, street-level community groups are stepping in with innovative ways to overcome longstanding racial disparities in…  read on >  read on >