Health News

Young Teens More Likely to Have Vaginal Delivery
Parents, you can breathe a sigh of relief: teenage pregnancy is becoming less common in the U.S., which is good news because there are many risks associated with teen pregnancy.
HIV Drug Safe During Pregnancy
Women with HIV or chronic Hepatitis B may take Viread , whose generic name is tenofovir , for treatment. They can safely continue this treatment if they get pregnant.
Muscular Pregnant Women Have Healthier Placenta
Most women want a shapely, muscular body to enhance their looks. A new study reports that those firm, hard-won muscles also improve placental health in pregnant women.
Test Tube Babies Have More Defects
Advances in fertility medicine have been a blessing for parents who struggled to have children on their own. But one hitch has been a higher rate of birth defects among test tube babies. A large recent study has found an increased rate of birth defects among babies born through assisted reproduction, though different types of assisted reproduction had different higher rates of congenital problems. Discuss the risks of any fertility treatment with your doctor. Michael Davies, PhD, an associate professor at the University of Adelaide's Robinson Institute and School of Paediatrics ...
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...
Better Nurses Produce Healthier Preemies
Every pregnant mom wants to receive quality care from doctors and nurses. According to a new study, delivering your baby at a hospital that’s recognized for nursing excellence can impact your baby’s health. Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing studied more than 72,000 very low-birth-weight ( VLBW ) infants (less than 3.3 pounds at birth).   They found that that babies born at hospitals recognized for nursing excellence ( RNE ) were less likely to suffer certain complications, compared to babies at hospitals that haven’t been recognized for nursing...
Water Break Early? Hang in There!
You're nine months pregnant and ready to pop - but the due date is still a few weeks away. What do you do if your water breaks early?
Air Pollution Link to Childhood Obesity
It may not just be chicken nuggets and french fries adding too much weight to children's waistlines. The very air pregnant women breathe might play a small role too.
Even a Little Overweight is Bad for Baby
If you think being just a little overweight won't present problems for your pregnancy, think again. Addressing your weight could mean a safer delivery for you and your baby.
Pregnant Diabetics and Taking Levemir
The insulin drug Levemir , whose generic name is detemir , has been moved from a riskier category of medications for pregnant women to a less risky category by the FDA.