As new outbreaks of measles — a once nearly eliminated illness in the United States — continue to emerge, experts remind Americans that there’s an easy way to stop infection: Get vaccinated. “Measles spreads so easily that if one person has it, 90% of the people close to that person who are not vaccinated or… read on > read on >
Children exposed to anesthesia in the womb when their pregnant mom has surgery are more likely to suffer from behavioral issues later, a new study finds. Exposure to general anesthesia before birth was associated with a 31% increased risk of diagnosis with a behavioral disorder as a child, researchers reported Feb. 29 in the British… read on > read on >
CVS and Walgreens announced Friday that they will start dispensing the abortion pill mifepristone this month. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has certified the nation’s two largest pharmacy chains to dispense mifepristone, and they plan to make the medication available first in states where abortion is legal. The chains will not dispense the medication… read on > read on >
There’s a host of studies supporting the numerous ways breastfeeding helps baby’s development — and the health of mothers, too. However, too many women are hesitant to start breastfeeding or stick with it if they do, according to Nadine Rosenblum, a perinatal lactation program coordinator at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. “There are still so… read on > read on >
School not only makes a person smarter, but it can also help them live longer, researchers report. People with more education tend to age more slowly and live longer lives compared to the less educated, the study found. Higher levels of education are significantly associated with a slower pace of aging and a lower risk… read on > read on >
Vaping and skipped meals appear to be the main causes of frequent headaches among teens, a new study says. Teens who ate breakfast and dinner with their family had a lower risk of frequent headaches than those who regularly missed meals, researchers report Feb. 28 in the journal Neurology. Meanwhile, vaping also was associated with… read on > read on >
Teens have a higher risk of self-injury — deliberately cutting or burning themselves — if they have a fraught relationship with a struggling parent, a new study shows. Teenagers were nearly five times more likely to self-injure if, when they were 6, their moms and dads reported stress and discomfort in their role as parents,… read on > read on >
The eyes may have it when it comes to the early diagnosis of autism in children, a new study finds. Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), have pinpointed a gene that affects how kids’ eyes react when they turn their heads. Typically, people use what’s called the vestibulo-ocular reflex to help their… read on > read on >
The historic overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022 has not had any significant effect on the number of abortions performed each month in the United States, new data shows. The #WeCount report tracks abortion rates across the country for the nonprofit Society of Family Planning, a group promoting research on abortion and contraception. It… read on > read on >
According to the advocacy group Autism Speaks, one in every 36 U.S. children has an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Early diagnosis is crucial to helping to treat the condition, but how is a diagnosis done? The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has an updated review of what’s involved in diagnosing autism in kids.… read on > read on >
