When Kelsey Hatcher’s twins share their birth story someday, their tale will truly be one in a million. Hatcher, who gave birth at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), has a rare double uterus and was pregnant with a baby in each one. After 20 hours of labor, she delivered two girls — Baby… read on > read on >
All Mommy:
Pediatricians Offer 8 Goals to Parents to ‘Start the Year Strong’
New Year’s resolutions often center on weight loss and personal lifestyle changes, but setting good parenting goals is also well worth the effort, pediatricians say. “This is a great time to take a step back, take a breath and look at how we as a family taking care of ourselves and each other,” pediatrician Dr.… read on > read on >
Many Young People at Risk for Psychosis Are Torn About Using Marijuana
Even after they’ve experienced episodes of psychosis, many young people who use marijuana are unsure they want to quit the drug, new research shows. Cannabis has long been linked to a heightened risk for psychosis — a dangerous psychiatric state in which people lose their connection with reality. However, “most people with psychosis don’t worry… read on > read on >
America’s School Counselors Say Vaping, Gaming Are Tough Issues for Kids
Online gaming and vaping to the point of addiction have become widespread enough that most high school counselors regularly confront these behaviors in today’s teens, a new survey shows. Four out of five counselors say they’ve worked with at least one student during the past year who had struggled with problematic use of video games or… read on > read on >
‘Morning After’ Pill Sales Surge on Day After New Years’ Eve
Even Valentine’s Day apparently doesn’t trump the start of a brand new year when it comes to getting frisky. Sales of the morning-after pill surged across the U.S. after New Year 2022, new research shows. Nearly 41,000 extra pills were sold in the following week, a period linked to increased risks of unprotected sex. Sales… read on > read on >
Could Treating the Pancreas Help Preschoolers With Autism?
It may seem a bit counterintuitive, but treating the pancreas of a child with autism could help ease problematic behaviors, new research shows. The key here, researchers say, is the link between dietary protein intake and crucial brain neurotransmitter chemicals, such as serotonin and dopamine. When those neurotransmitters aren’t working as they should, that can… read on > read on >
Holidays Can Be Tough on Kids With ADHD, Anxiety: Some Tips for Parents
Kids with emotional problems or ADHD can find the holidays a very challenging time, as all the routines that provide a sense of order are jumbled in a whirl of activities. The kids are home from school and restless, their parents are hauling them along to Christmas shopping and holiday gatherings, and they’re eating lots… read on > read on >
Childhood Trauma Could Raise Odds for Adult Physical Pain
Beyond a myriad of other consequences, childhood trauma appears to raise the specter of chronic pain in adulthood, new research shows. Researchers pored over 75 years’ worth of data involving more than 826,000 people. That included information on levels of neglect or physical, emotional or sexual abuse, plus other serious trauma of childhood. Their review… read on > read on >
Phthalates, Found in Everyday Products, Might Lower Fertility
Exposure to a common chemical group found in many household products may delay or even prevent a woman from becoming pregnant, a new study says. Phthalates can lower a woman’s odds of becoming pregnant by up to 18% in any given month, researchers report in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives. Phthalates are chemicals found in… read on > read on >
Supplements vs. the Mediterranean Diet for IVF Success: Which Works Best?
Women struggling with fertility and using in vitro fertilization (IVF) to conceive sometimes turn to supplements for help. Unfortunately, a new study finds only weak evidence to support that strategy. In contrast, the same research found that the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet does boost the odds that a woman will become a mother. Compared to the… read on > read on >