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Obesity and smoking linked to stillbirths: Report

According to experts, excessive weight, smoking and late maternal age over 35 are contributing to thousands of stillbirths each year in high-income countries, including Australia, and the trend looks set to continue. These figures were published in the Lancet medical journal.

13 Apr 2011

Way we live directly affects length of our lives

New research shows that the way we live directly affects the length of our bodies - and our lives.

7 Apr 2011

Positive data from PROCHIEVE vaginal progesterone Phase III study published in peer-reviewed journal

Columbia Laboratories, Inc., and Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc., today announced the publication of Phase III PROCHIEVE® (progesterone gel) data in today's online version of Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology, the leading peer-reviewed journal of the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology.

7 Apr 2011

Progesterone benefits women with short cervix, finds NIH study

A National Institutes of Health study has found that progesterone, a naturally occurring hormone, reduced the rate of preterm birth before the 33rd week of pregnancy by 45 percent among one category of at risk women.

7 Apr 2011

National survey: 76% of parents trust child's doctor for vaccine-safety information

Most parents get their information about vaccines from their children's doctors, but some also consider public health officials, other parents, friends and family members and even celebrities as sources of vaccine information.

2 Apr 2011

Latest scientific discoveries in children's health to be presented at PAS annual meeting

The latest scientific discoveries in children's health will be presented in Denver April 30-May 3, as part of the annual meeting of the Pediatric Academic Societies. This year's gathering is a joint meeting with the Asian Society for Pediatric Research, and more than 6,500 leaders in academic pediatrics from around the world are expected to attend the meeting at the Colorado Convention Center.

2 Apr 2011

NIH combats obesity epidemic with new strategic research plan

To combat the obesity epidemic, the National Institutes of Health is encouraging diverse scientific investigations through a new Strategic Plan for NIH Obesity Research.

1 Apr 2011

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota reports $9 billion revenue for 2010

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota and its family of companies (Blue Cross) today announced audited financial results for 2010. The nonprofit health company reported full-year 2010 revenues of $9 billion and an operating margin of 1.4%, which resulted in a net operating income of $127 million. This marks the second consecutive year of positive operating results, following three consecutive years of operating losses from 2006 to 2008.

1 Apr 2011

CPS: Withholding or withdrawing artificial nutrition and hydration is legally, ethically acceptable

The Canadian Paediatric Society wants to help health care providers faced with difficult end-of-life decisions, with a new paper on withholding or withdrawing artificial nutrition and hydration (ANH). The CPS says that withholding or withdrawing ANH is both legally and ethically acceptable as part of a palliative care plan.

1 Apr 2011

SMFM praises FDA's announcement on Makena drug

The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine weighed in on today's FDA announcement to continue to allow pharmacies to compound hydroxyprogesterone caproate, also known as 17P.

31 Mar 2011

Decline of obesity in pre-school kids: Study

According to a new study from the Deakin University, obesity in Victorian pre-school children has dropped. Results have shown that rates of obese and overweight toddlers fell by more than 3 per cent for three-and-a-half year olds, down from 18.5 per cent to 15.4 per cent. For two-year-olds rates have dropped 1 per cent to 12.4 per cent.

27 Mar 2011

Death of parents can impact child's health

The death of parents entails an increase in their children's risk of dying. This is shown in a new study performed by Mikael Rostila, a researcher at the Center for Health Equity Studies in Sweden, and Jan Saarela, a researcher at Åbo Akademi University in Finland.

23 Mar 2011

Japanese, International officials continue to monitor radiation levels

Japanese officials plan to measure radiation levels in the ocean beyond the country's borders on Tuesday and Wednesday, the International Atomic Energy Agency said, CNN reports.

23 Mar 2011

WHO releases first list of 30 priority medicines for women, children

The WHO on Monday released a list of 30 medicines that "are essential for treating common diseases of mothers and children," Ghana News Agency reports (3/21).

23 Mar 2011

Children have a hard time spotting biased information or exaggerated claims

A UT Dallas researcher is examining how children evaluate information to solve problems and learn how to think critically, with the aim of combating misleading advertising aimed at young people.

23 Mar 2011

HRSA report finds only 57% of children in the U.S. have access to medical home

Researchers at the Health Resources and Services Administration, Maternal and Child Health Bureau publish their findings on health care for children in medical homes in the April issue of Pediatrics.

19 Mar 2011

Children and youth with IBD have 25% lower aerobic fitness levels

Children and adolescents growing up with inflammatory bowel disease are less fit than their peers, says a study by researchers at McMaster University and the McMaster Children's Hospital.

17 Mar 2011

Discovery of molecular switch for the secretion of insulin

Johns Hopkins researchers believe they have uncovered the molecular switch for the secretion of insulin — the hormone that regulates blood sugar — providing for the first time an explanation of this process. In a report published online March 1 in Cell Metabolism, the researchers say the work solves a longtime mystery and may lead to better treatments for type 2 diabetes, the most common form of the disease.

15 Mar 2011

U-M receives NIFA grant to reduce childhood obesity among preschoolers

The USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture has awarded $4.9 million to the University of Michigan to reduce the prevalence of childhood obesity among Head Start preschoolers in Michigan.

15 Mar 2011

Bad relationship with partner is the strongest predictor of maternal emotional distress

Pregnancy is meant to be a joyous time however some women experience overwhelming 'baby blues' before the birth of their child. Anxiety and depression during pregnancy can result in premature birth, or low birth weight, and impact the child's health even into early school years.

14 Mar 2011