There’s new evidence that even moderate amounts of caffeine consumed by a mom-to-be might affect her child’s weight years later. The overall effect was small — an average of an extra pound by age 8. But children of women who consumed the most caffeine during pregnancy were 66 percent more likely to be slightly overweight,… read on >
How much a woman indulges in alcohol may have ties to her premenstrual syndrome symptoms, a new global research review suggests. “We estimate that 11 percent of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) cases may be associated to alcohol intake worldwide,” according to a team led by Bahi Takkouche, of the University of Santiago de Compostela, in Spain.… read on >
Leg cramps are a common symptom of pregnancy, often occurring at night. Cramps typically occur only for a short time, but they can be very uncomfortable, the Nemours Foundation says. The Foundation suggests how to ease the pain and reduce the frequency of cramps during pregnancy: Do calf stretches before bed. Make sure not to… read on >
Teens who use e-cigarettes may be more likely to try marijuana in the future, especially if they start vaping at a younger age, a new study shows. More than 1 in 4 teenagers who reported e-cigarette use eventually progressed to smoking pot, according to the survey of more than 10,000 teens. That compared with just… read on >
Following an enormous jump in children’s exposures to toxic liquid nicotine from electronic cigarettes, the rate dropped in just one year, new research reveals. But too many young kids are still being exposed to liquid nicotine, experts say. Among cases that ended up in the emergency department, 93 percent had swallowed the substance. The annual… read on >
A cancer scare could increase the chances that you’ll be diligent about recommended screenings in the future, a new study finds. People who got a false-positive result on a breast or prostate cancer screening test were more likely to adhere to screening guidelines for breast cancer and colon cancer going forward, researchers found. False-positive findings… read on >
Autism may be detected at an early age by paying attention to your baby’s social and language skills, the American Academy of Pediatrics says. But all children who have autism or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) will not have the same symptoms or severity, the academy notes. Still, the academy says parents should monitor for these… read on >
Girls whose moms were overweight or had high blood sugar during pregnancy may be more likely to enter puberty early, a large new study suggests. The Kaiser Permanente researchers said their findings could lead to new strategies to curb early puberty, which can have adverse long-term health effects for girls. “We know that maternal weight… read on >
Women who have diabetes should take precautions to ensure that both mother and baby stay healthy throughout pregnancy. High maternal blood sugar can harm the developing baby, resulting in birth defects or miscarriage. This is especially true during the first few weeks of pregnancy, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says.… read on >
Children and teens who identify as transgender or gender non-conforming are more likely to be diagnosed with mental health woes, new research suggests. People who are transgender or gender non-conforming have a gender identity that’s different from the one they were at birth. For some, this may mean a gender identity that’s opposite the sex… read on >
