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Mental disorders affect one in three pregnant women, and violence may be a key driver

A systematic review and meta-analysis of 18 studies involving 17,380 pregnant women found that common mental disorders affected about one-third of participants across studies from Africa, Asia, and South America. The analysis found strong regional variation and identified intimate partner violence as the only statistically significant risk factor, with affected women having about 2.6-fold higher odds of CMDs.

18 May 2026

Children's mental health concerns increasingly addressed during primary care visits

A new study led by researchers at the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston University, Boston Medical Center, UMass Chan Medical School, and Brown University finds that children's mental health concerns are appearing more often during routine visits with primary care doctors.

18 May 2026

Treatment delays rising among teens with cannabis use disorder

Teens may turn to marijuana use for many reasons: curiosity, stress relief, peer pressure, help with mental health, or for the positive feelings of being "high." However, there is a difference between casual use and reliance on cannabis to function.

18 May 2026

Surgical training program for community health officers slashes maternal mortality risk

Maternal mortality in Sierra Leone used to be among the highest in the world. A 15-year-old non-profit program that trains community health officers to do life-saving surgeries has helped slash that risk by two-thirds.

18 May 2026

WHO warns of rising nicotine pouch addiction among youth

The World Health Organization (WHO) today issues a strong warning over the rapid global expansion of nicotine pouch products, which are being aggressively marketed to adolescents and young people.

17 May 2026

Addressing depression and anxiety in primary care improves chronic pain management

A study published this month in the American Journal of Managed Care explores how integrating behavioral health care into primary care can improve outcomes and be cost-effective for adults with depression, anxiety and chronic pain who are on long-term opioid therapy.

15 May 2026

Asymptomatic transmission plays a prominent role in mpox infection patterns

A Kaiser Permanente study of nearly 8,000 men shows that in mid- to late 2024, mpox was far more common among men who have sex with men than previously thought. Individuals without symptoms accounted for most infections and likely played a prominent role in transmission, contrary to prior assumptions that people had to be symptomatic to spread the disease.

15 May 2026

Stanford scientists map the molecular diversity of different global populations

Researchers at the Stanford School of Medicine have found that ethnicity and geography may influence human molecular makeup - from metabolism and immunity to gut microbiota and biological aging.

14 May 2026

Expert questions benefits of new UK drug approval pathway

A new UK drug approval pathway, designed to speed up the availability of new medicines, benefits industry over patients and the NHS, argues an expert in The BMJ today.

13 May 2026

New trial aims to improve ATTR-CM diagnosis in heart failure

Transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM) is an increasingly recognized yet frequently underdiagnosed cause of heart failure, particularly among older adults.

13 May 2026

Global health progress reversing in several critical areas, WHO warns

While there have been meaningful improvements in global health over the past decade, with millions benefiting from better prevention, treatment and access to essential services, persistent and emerging challenges mean that the world remains off track to achieve any of the health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

13 May 2026

Perimenopausal women face higher risk of low heart health

Perimenopausal women were two times more likely to have a low cardiovascular health score compared to women having regular menstrual cycles, according to an analysis of nationwide U.S. data published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open-access, peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.

13 May 2026

New compound shows promise as single-dose malaria treatment

A Portland State University-led research team has developed a novel chemical compound that shows promise for the treatment and prevention of malaria, one of the world's deadliest diseases.

13 May 2026

Intensive caregiving may accelerate cognitive decline

Onerous caring responsibilities reduce brain function for people aged 50 and over, whereas light caring duties can actually be beneficial to middle-aged and older people's mental abilities, a new UCL study finds.

12 May 2026

AI-powered handheld microscope may improve early cancer detection

Researchers at Rice University and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have developed a compact, artificial intelligence-powered imaging device that could transform how clinicians detect cancer.

12 May 2026

Regular arts engagement may help slow biological aging process

Regularly taking part in arts activities such as reading, listening to music or visiting a gallery or museum may slow the pace of biological aging, suggests a new study by University College London (UCL) researchers.

11 May 2026

Daily orforglipron treatment reduces weight and blood sugar in seniors

A new analysis to be presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity (ECO 2026, Istanbul, Turkey, 12-15 May) examined daily oral orforglipron treatment for the treatment of obesity, with or without diabetes, in users aged 65 years and over, with results and a safety profile similar to that seen in the ATTAIN clinical trial programme population.

11 May 2026