Women could prevent contracting the mosquito-borne Zika virus while pregnant by timing the first months of pregnancy with seasonal declines in mosquito activity, according to a new paper. The paper is the first to suggest that women in the numerous countries affected by the Zika virus epidemic can still safely pursue motherhood rather than forgo pregnancy altogether. (more…)
Women who choose not to find out are more egalitarian, conscientious
COLUMBUS, Ohio – An expectant mother who chooses to find out her child’s sex before birth may be giving subtle clues about her views on proper gender roles, new research suggests.
The study found that women who choose not to learn their child’s sex may be more open to new experiences, and combine egalitarian views about the roles of men and women in society with conscientiousness. (more…)
Female hormone estriol reduces relapse rate by nearly 50 percent, UCLA neurologist reports
A study conducted by Dr. Rhonda Voskuhl, a UCLA neurologist, shows that combining estriol, a female hormone, with Copaxone, a medication currently used to treat multiple sclerosis, reduced the relapse rate of MS by nearly 50 percent with only one year of treatment. (more…)
Both parents and health care providers wonder: What is the best way to get through to adolescents about the dangers of risky sexual behavior? Research by investigators from Yale School of Medicine and the Yale play2PREVENT Lab finds that both positive and negative messaging may influence adolescent behavior. The study is published online in the journal Health Education Research.
The researchers write that 48% of high school students have had sex, and 6% had sex by the age of 13. Beginning sexual activity at an early age increases the risk of multiple partners, unwanted pregnancy, and sexually transmitted infections. A full half of all new sexually transmitted infections in the United States occur in individuals aged 15 to 25. (more…)
Women’s groups can dramatically reduce the number of maternal and newborn deaths in some of the world’s poorest communities, according to a new meta-analysis published in The Lancet.
The research incorporated seven trials in Bangladesh, India, Malawi and Nepal and looked at 119,428 births.
It assessed whether groups facilitated by local women, who received a short training course of around 7 – 11 days, but were not health workers, affected rates of maternal and newborn mortality. The groups use a range of methods – including discussion, voting and role-playing – to identify common pregnancy-related health problems and work out locally appropriate ways to address them. (more…)
AUSTIN, Texas — Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin have discovered that the lack of a critical enzyme in the folic acid metabolic pathway leads to neural tube birth defects in developing embryos.
It has been known for several decades that folic acid supplementation dramatically reduces the incidence of neural tube defects, such as spina bifida and anencephaly, which are among the most common birth defects. In some populations, folic acid supplementation has decreased neural tube defects by as much as 70 percent. (more…)
Aggravated hormone level brings about numerous changes to almost every part of woman’s body, from body structure to skin to overall health. A woman can look most entrancing and delightful during her pregnancy. And this is certainly not just an old wife’s tale; it’s a widely accepted truth. While some ladies look luscious during their pregnancies, for others, all the elevated hormonal levels can have entirely opposite effects, leading to many pregnancy skin problems.
On your countdown to motherhood variety of changes take place on your skin and even a slight change from normal on it is evident. There are many skincare products or tropical treatments can get absorbed into your skin and then into your baby’s. So skincare during this nine months countdown requires special attention. (more…)
Exposure to radiation from cell phones during pregnancy affects the brain development of offspring, potentially leading to hyperactivity, Yale School of Medicine researchers have determined. (more…)
