Health News

The Importance of Folate in Pregnancy
Children of moms who had good folate levels during pregnancy may have a lower risk for childhood obesity, a new study found.
Risks and Benefits of Weight Loss Surgery Before Pregnancy
Pregnancy is an exciting time, but many women have a few anxious moments. Women who have had weight loss surgery may have more anxious moments than others. Some of those moments, however, may not be warranted.
Mom's Weight May Affect Her Child's Weight
Previous studies have shown that the amount of weight that women gain during pregnancy can significantly affect the baby's health. And it's possible that a child's health could be affected throughout childhood and beyond.
More Chemicals, More Time to Pregnancy
Researchers are learning more all the time about how chemicals in the environment affect our bodies. Much research focuses on children and conceiving a child.
You KAN-DO It!
It's easier for preschoolers to eat well when families have the tools to think about good nutrition. Moms were able to do so with the KAN-DO program.
Mom's Weight & Kids' Test Scores
Shedding pounds before getting pregnant can reduce a number of health risks - but it may also add a few points to your child's reading and math scores. A recent study has found a link between a mother's weight before pregnancy and their children's cognitive skills: obese women's children score lower on math and reading tests when they were 5 to 7 years old. Get to a healthy weight before becoming pregnant. Lead author Rika Tanda , a nursing doctoral candidate at Ohio State University, and colleagues wanted to investigate potential connections between a mother's pre-pregnancy ob...
Reduce Serious Birth Defects
Adding folic acid to tortillas and other products can reduce the risk for birth defects, says a new petition recently filed with a federal agency.  A petition filed with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) argues that fortifying corn masa flour products with the B vitamin folic acid can help reduce serious birth defects of the brain and spine. The groups behind the petition believe that mandating folic acid fortification of the products will especially help prevent birth defects in one high-risk group: Hispanic babies. Since 1998, when the FDA started regulating folic a...
Your "Muffin Top" Produces a Bigger Baby
Are you convinced that your muffin top isn't hurting anyone, so there's no need to lose it? Think again. A new study shows that packing on extra pounds is bad for your baby - even if you're not pregnant yet.
Healthy Eating In Utero
During pregnancy, mothers are told they need folic acid, also known as folate. This mineral helps prevent neural tube defects, but it doesn't prevent all birth defects.