Iron-folic acid supplements during pregnancy 'cut mortality rates among kids'October 29th, 2009 WASHINGTON - In a new study, researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that offspring whose mothers had been supplemented with iron-folic acid during pregnancy had dramatically reduced mortality through age 7. The researchers found that other supplement combinations, including the multiple micronutrient supplement, did not confer the same benefit.
Higher vitamin D intake may help fight off back aches, pains in winterOctober 25th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Higher intake of vitamin D in winters can help people get rid of extra soreness and aches in their backs, say researchers. The study showed that patients with chronic back pain usually had inadequate levels of vitamin D and when sufficient vitamin D supplementation was provided, the pain either vanished or was at least helped to a significant extent.
Right diet, not supplements, is the best way to keep good bacteria healthyOctober 22nd, 2009 WASHINGTON - Eating right, not supplements, is the best way to keep the good bacteria in the gut healthy, according to an expert. Gail Cresci, Medical College of Georgia dietician and researcher, said that as with vitamins, it's best to get the bacteria you need from healthy food rather than taking often expensive and potentially ineffective supplements.
Drugs that block folic acid in pregnancy double birth defects riskOctober 14th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A new study, conducted by researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, has warned that taking medications that reduce or block the actions of folic acid during the first trimester of pregnancy increase the risk that the growing baby will develop abnormalities. For the study, the researchers obtained medication data from pregnant mothers registered at Clalit HMO, Southern District, and drew information from 84,832 babies born at Soroka University Medical Center in Beer-Sheva, Israel.
Impaired foetal growth ups asthma riskOctober 14th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Children born with low birth weight are at a higher risk of developing asthma later in life, says a new study. The study, published in the journal Pediatrics, is based on data on the incidence of asthma in 10,918 twins from the Swedish Twin Registry.
No link between pets and childhood asthma: StudyOctober 14th, 2009 MELBOURNE - The traditional belief that childhood asthma is linked to pets or the modern obsession with hygiene has been established as untrue by a new study. The study 'Asthma in Australian Children', published by the Institute of Health and Welfare, revealed that kids with allergies to any kind of food, grass or bees were twice as prone to be an asthma patient as children with no allergies.
Vitamin B pills don't cut down risk of heart diseaseOctober 7th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Vitamin B pills don't cut down the risk of heart disease, says a new study. "There is no evidence to support the use of Vitamin B as supplements for reducing the risk of heart attack, stroke or death associated with cardiovascular disease," says lead researcher Arturo Mart-Carvajal of the Iberoamerican Cochrane Network in Valencia, Venezuela.
B-vitamin pills don't reduce risk of death from heart diseaseOctober 7th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A Cochrane Systematic Review suggests that B-vitamin supplements should not be recommended for prevention of heart disease because they do not reduce the risk of developing or dying from the disease. "There is no evidence to support the use of B-vitamins as supplements for reducing the risk of heart attack, stroke or death associated with cardiovascular disease," says Arturo Martí-Carvajal, of the Iberoamerican Cochrane Network in Valencia, Venezuela.
Expectant mums shouldn't give up asthma medication: StudyOctober 6th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Women who shun asthma medications during pregnancy face increased risk of transmitting the condition to their offspring, reveals a new study. The research team from the Universite de Montreal, the Hopital du Sacre-Cur de Montreal and Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Centre has revealed that 32.6 percent of children born to mothers who neglected to treat their asthma during pregnancy developed the respiratory illnessin later life.
Pregnant women who ignore asthma pass it on to kidsOctober 6th, 2009 TORONTO - Women who avoid treating asthma during pregnancy are likely to transmit the condition to their offspring, say results from a study that examined more than 8,000 families in Canada. A team from the University of Montral (U-M), Hpital du Sacr-Cur de Montral (HdSE) and Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Centre found that 32.6 percent of children born to mothers who ignored their asthma during pregnancy developed the respiratory illness themselves.
Smoking during pregnancy is risky for kidsOctober 1st, 2009 LONDON - Mothers who smoke during pregnancy put their kids at greater risk of developing psychotic symptoms in their teens. Researchers observed a 'dose-response effect', meaning that the risk of psychotic symptoms was highest in children whose mothers smoked the most heavily during pregnancy.
How living conditions affect reproductive healthSeptember 29th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Indiana University researchers have shed light on how a person's living conditions can affect his/her reproductive health. Virginia J.
Pregnant mothers, quit smoking for kid's futureSeptember 22nd, 2009 SYDNEY - Women who quit smoking during the initial months of pregnancy are likely to ensure long-term benefits for their unborn children, says a new study, underscoring the benefits of giving up nicotine. "Even if a woman was smoking in initial months of pregnancy, it was not too late to quit to improve the outcomes for her child.
Changes in humidity, temperature may trigger asthma among kidsSeptember 15th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Changes in humidity and temperature may trigger asthma among kids, suggests a report. Published in the journal Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, the report says that such weather changes have been found to result in a rise in Emergency Department (ED) visits for paediatric asthma exacerbations.
Daycare doesn't protect kids against asthma, allergySeptember 8th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Contrary to popular belief, taking children to day care might not make them immune to asthma and allergies, say researchers. Children in daycare definitely get more illnesses and experience more respiratory symptoms as a result, any perceived protection these exposures afford against asthma and allergy seem to disappear by the time the child hits the age of eight.
