Health News

Moms Pass on More Than Genes
Researchers already knew that overweight moms generally gave birth to children who became overweight too. But the health impact of obesity during pregnancy doesn't stop there.
Checking for Newborns' Healthy Hearts
While your newborn baby likely steals your heart from the moment you see him, you also want to be sure his heart is in tip-top working order. A simple screening may tell you. A recent study from England has provided evidence supporting the practice of screening newborn babies for heart defects at birth using a method called pulse oximetry . Screening for heart defects is recommended for newborns. Dr. Shakila Thangaratinam , a clinical senior lecturer at Queen Mary, University of London, led the research project that pulled together the results of 13 individual studies looking a...
Heart Attack More Likely When Pregnant
Having a heart attack while pregnant is highly unlikely, but pregnant women are still at three to four times greater risk for an attack compared to non-pregnant women of the same age.
Tiny Baby = Later Heart Trouble for Mom?
Having a baby classified as small for his or her age might mean more than tiny onesies . It's also an indication that mom should watch out for later developing heart disease.
Fish Oil Helps Teensy Hearts
Babies unable to grow to the size they're genetically supposed to reach suffer from intrauterine growth restriction, a risk factor for future cardiovascular problems.
Pregnancy Complications Can Predict Heart Disease
Pregnancy-related complications such as gestational diabetes and preeclampsia may not just put your health at risk in the short term. Such pregnancy disorders also may affect your risk of heart disease later in life.
Heart at Risk After Birth Complications
Women with pregnancy complications like diabetes or high blood pressure may not be in the clear after giving birth. They need to consider cardiovascular risks down the road.
When Will Moms-To-Be Quit Smoking?
Moms-to-be who are both overweight and smokers are more than twice as likely to have a baby with a congenital heart defect than women who are either overweight or a smoker but not both.
Prenatal Smoking is Deadly
We've known for decades that smoking during pregnancy is potentially damaging for the baby, and has been linked to various birth defects, premature birth, underdeveloped lungs, low birthweight and many other problems.
High Blood Pressure Linked to Depression in Pregnancy
For pregnant women, a history of high blood pressure before pregnancy means a higher risk of depression, which is also associated with postpartum depression and difficulty bonding with the baby.