Heavy bleeding following birth can threaten the life of the mother, and doctors at times turn to a hysterectomy to end the bleeding. But a new study suggests a less invasive, underused procedure might be a better, less drastic option. Investigators determined that when postpartum bleeding occurs, hysterectomies — the removal of the uterus —…  read on >  read on >

Women who develop diabetes during pregnancy have a higher risk of complications for themselves and their babies if they’re night owls instead of early birds, a new study finds. Gestational diabetes increases the mother’s risk of premature delivery and preeclampsia (pregnancy-induced high blood pressure). It also raises the baby’s risk of growing too large in…  read on >  read on >

After a sharp drop early in the COVID-19 pandemic, rates of routine breast and colon cancer screening soon returned to near-normal levels, a new study finds. “These are the first findings to show that, despite real fears about the consequences of drop-off in cancer screens, health facilities figured out how to pick this back up…  read on >  read on >

It was bound to happen: As the pandemic wore on, many older Americans couldn’t resist the urge to bring home a furry friend. According to a new poll from the University of Michigan, about 10% of all U.S. adults between the ages of 50 and 80 adopted a new pet between March 2020 and January…  read on >  read on >

COVID-19 transmission is rare in schools that follow precautions such as mandatory masks, social distancing and frequent hand-washing, a new study finds. And that’s true even among close school contacts of people who test positive for the new coronavirus, according to researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. “Schools can operate safely…  read on >  read on >

Health care workers were just as uneasy as everyone else when COVID-19 vaccines were about to be approved in the United States, with large numbers hesitant to take the shot in early December, a new study reveals. But that hesitancy dwindled over the next few weeks, as health system employees learned more about the safety…  read on >  read on >

The smoke from forest fires is sending children to emergency rooms with respiratory problems at higher rates than ever before, a new study finds. “Kids are particularly vulnerable to pollution from wildfires, so they can have asthma exacerbation and other respiratory problems,” said senior researcher Tarik Benmarhnia, an associate professor of family medicine and public…  read on >  read on >

Blood sugar levels in youngsters with type 1 diabetes improved during Britain’s first national COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, researchers say. “Children and families found it easier to manage this disease when they were forced to stay at home. This helps us to understand the pressure that is put on patients and families when trying to live…  read on >  read on >