Latest Women's Health News

2Mar
2023

COVID Lockdowns Linked to Decline in Premature Births

COVID Lockdowns Linked to Decline in Premature BirthsTHURSDAY, March 2, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Premature births dropped during lockdowns in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. A groundbreaking study, which included a group of mostly high-income countries — including the United States, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Denmark and Switzerland — found there were about 4% fewer preterm births than would have been expected in spring 2020.That’s nearly 50,000 babies not born early in just one month alone, The New York Times reported.“This is a unique natural experiment, where the whole world experienced this pretty drastic lockdown at the same time,” said one of the study leaders, Meghan Azad, an associate professor of pediatrics and child health at the University of Manitoba. “So, it was a neat opportunity to look at what that...

Cancer Screenings Rise in States With Mandatory Paid...

2 March 2023
Cancer Screenings Rise in States With Mandatory Paid Sick LeaveTHURSDAY, March 2, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Many Americans are not getting recommended cancer screenings, and a new study hints at one way to push the needle: paid sick leave from work.Researchers found that in areas of the United States that passed mandates on paid sick leave, cancer screening rates inched up in the years afterward. Breast cancer screening rose by roughly 3%, while colon cancer screening increased by 6% to 8%.When it comes to Americans' access to health care, the focus is often on health insurance -- whether people have it, and what it covers.But people can face other kinds of barriers, said lead researcher Kevin Callison, an assistant professor at Tulane University's School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in New Orleans.Taking time off from work, and losing...

High Blood Pressure in Pregnancy Tied to Thinking...

2 March 2023
High Blood Pressure in Pregnancy Tied to Thinking Problems LaterTHURSDAY, March 2, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- A new study links high blood pressure during pregnancy with cognitive issues later in life, adding to known risks such as stroke and heart disease.Women with preeclampsia -- high blood pressure during pregnancy that may be accompanied by kidney or other organ damage -- may have even more cognitive decline later compared to those with gestational high blood pressure, which does not affect kidneys or other organs, according to the study. The findings were published March 1 in the online issue of Neurology.“More research is needed to confirm our findings. However, these results suggest that managing and monitoring blood pressure during and after pregnancy is an important factor for brain health later in life,” study author Michelle Mielke...

Could Tiny Plastic Particles Reach the Fetus From Mom's...

1 March 2023
Could Tiny Plastic Particles Reach the Fetus From Mom`s Food? Rat Study Raises ConcernsWEDNESDAY, March 1, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Most food and water contains "nano-sized" microplastics, and new animal research suggests these tiny particles pass from pregnant rats to their unborn offspring and may impair fetal development. The same could be true in humans, the study suggests. “Much remains unknown, but this is certainly cause for concern and follow-up study,” said Philip Demokritou, a professor of nanoscience and environmental bioengineering at the Rutgers School of Public Health, in New Jersey. A typical person ingests about a credit card’s worth of microscopic plastic particles each week, Demokritou estimated. This plastic is consumed through food and the air after erosion breaks down items exposed to the environment. Previous studies in pregnant laboratory...

Loneliness a Key Factor in Postpartum Depression

1 March 2023
Loneliness a Key Factor in Postpartum DepressionWEDNESDAY, March 1, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- When expectant or new moms experience depression, known as perinatal depression, loneliness may be a driving factor.“We found that loneliness was central to the experiences of expectant and new mothers with depression. We know that depression and loneliness are often interconnected — each one can lead to the other — and this may be particularly true for perinatal depression [which includes postpartum depression],” said Dr. Katherine Adlington, an academic clinical fellow at UCL Psychiatry and East London NHS Foundation Trust.“Having a baby is a period of huge transition and upheaval that can involve losing touch with people and existing networks, such as work colleagues,” Adlington added in a University College London (UCL) news...
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