More pregnant women are turning to newer and potentially safer antiseizure medications, a new study says. Older antiseizure drugs like valproate and phenobarbital are known to increase risk of birth defects. But there’s been a 30% increase in the use of the safest antiseizure drugs during pregnancy, researchers report in the July 23 issue of… read on > read on >
Care about your kid’s well being? Then best not give them a smartphone until they’re a full-fledged teenager, a major new study says. Kids given a smartphone when they were younger than 13 tend to have poorer mental health and well-being, researchers report in the Journal of Human Development and Capabilities. Specifically, people between 18… read on > read on >
Even small increases in blood sugar might put a dent in a man’s virility, a new study says. Minimally elevated blood glucose levels are linked to a decline in sperm movement and erectile function, even if levels are below the threshold for diabetes, according to findings presented at the Endocrine Society’s recent meeting in California.… read on > read on >
A new IVF technique helped eight babies in the U.K. avoid serious inherited diseases, and scientists are calling it a breakthrough. All eight children were born using a method that uses DNA from three people: the mother, the father and a donor. The goal? To prevent the babies from inheriting mitochondrial diseases, a group of… read on > read on >
Doctors should ask diabetic women at every visit about their intention to have a child, to make sure they get the appropriate care prior to conception, new guidelines say. This will help avoid miscarriages and birth defects among women who have diabetes before pregnancy, the authors write in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.… read on > read on >
Some women have a greater risk of depression as they go through premature menopause, according to a new study. Premature menopause occurs when the ovaries stop functioning normally before age 40, researchers said in background notes. The condition has been linked with a more than tripled risk for depression and nearly quintupled risk for anxiety,… read on > read on >
Some newer antiseizure medications appear to be safer for pregnant women to take without risk of birth defects, a new study says. Second-generation antiseizure drugs like levetiracetam, oxcarbazepine, gabapentin and zonisamide did not show an increased risk for birth defects, researchers reported July 16 in the journal Neurology. On the other hand, the study confirmed… read on > read on >
A federal appeals court has ruled that West Virginia can limit access to mifepristone, a medication used to end early pregnancies. The decision is the first of its kind and could affect how other states handle access to drugs that are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Mifepristone is part of a… read on > read on >
A new study of more than 1.2 million people found no link between aluminum in childhood vaccines and long-term health problems, including autism, asthma or autoimmune diseases. The research, published July 14 in the Annals of Internal Medicine, looked at 50 chronic conditions. They included 36 autoimmune diseases, nine types of allergies and asthma, and… read on > read on >
Good news for women of a certain age: Hormone replacement therapy for menopause appears to boost the effectiveness of GLP-1 weight loss drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound, a new study says. Women using tirzepatide (Zepbound) lost more weight if they also were taking hormone therapy — 17% of body weight lost versus 14% after a… read on > read on >
