Chemicals found in common household products might damage the brain’s wiring, a new study warns. These chemicals — found in disinfectants, cleaners, hair products, furniture and textiles — could be linked to degenerative brain diseases like multiple sclerosis and autism, researchers report. The chemicals specifically affect the brain’s oligodendrocytes, a specialized type of cell that…  read on >  read on >

As the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to hear arguments Tuesday in a case that could determine nationwide access to the abortion pill, a new study finds requests for the medication made outside the traditional health care system surged after Roe v. Wade was overturned. There were about 26,000 more self-managed medication abortions than expected, based…  read on >  read on >

Babies who die unexpectedly in their sleep often are subjected to many hazards that could have contributed to their deaths, a new study reports. Multiple unsafe sleep practices are at play in three-quarters (76%) of Sudden Unexpected Infant Deaths (SUID), according to a new study in the journal Pediatrics. These include sharing a bed with…  read on >  read on >

Many teens – especially girls – are affected by body dysmorphic disorder, a condition in which they become obsessed with perceived flaws in their personal appearance, a new study shows. BDD affects about two in every 100 teens (1.9%), according to a report published March 17 in the Journal of the American Academy of Child…  read on >  read on >

Your baby could be endangered by now-recalled Comfi Baby Infant Walkers, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warned Thursday. The walkers, sold on Amazon, “violate the federal safety regulations for infant walkers because they can fit through a standard doorway, are not designed to stop at the edge of a step and have leg openings…  read on >  read on >

People with autoimmune disorders such as lupus, type 1 diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis tend to have fewer children, and women with this class of illnesses often have higher risks for complications of pregnancy, new research shows. Researchers in Finland compared pregnancy and childbirth outcomes for the roughly 8% of Finnish adults who have some form…  read on >  read on >