Topic: How a simple tummy-rub can change babies’ lives Baby massage has been practised in South Asia for centuries. Now scientists are discovering its life-saving potential. On a cool October evening, Renu Saxena brought her newborn daughter home from hospital in the southern Indian city of Bengaluru. It struck her just how fragile her baby…
Topic: Women could lead longer, healthier lives – first global index of women’s health urges action from policymakers Over the past year, more than 1.5 billion women worldwide were not tested for some of the most prevalent and pernicious diseases women face: cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure and sexually transmitted diseases/infections (STDs/STIs). That’s one of…
Topic: Why Access to Birth Control Is No Substitute for Abortion Rights We have reached a dangerous new place in the battle over bodies and birth control in the United States. After years of attacks, this month Texas effectively made most abortions illegal, when a law took effect—after the Supreme Court declined to block it—that…
Topic: Maternal Mental Health Matters: Pregnancy and Birth During the Pandemic Pregnancy and childbirth are pivotal events in women’s lives. For many expecting and new mothers the pandemic has filled this time with fear, stress, anxiety and uncertainty. May marks Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month, an event celebrated globally to raise awareness and help end…
Topic: Severe Infections During Pregnancy Associated With Complications Around Childbirth Individuals who are hospitalized during pregnancy due to sepsis have higher odds of complications surrounding childbirth, according to a study led by researchers at UC San Francisco. The study found that pregnancies complicated by sepsis were associated with an increased risk of cesarean delivery, postpartum…
Topic: Examining the Role of Ultrasound Imaging in Prenatal Care Ultrasound imaging plays an important role in prenatal care. However, some surprising new evidence has emerged from researchers, ultimately revealing some disparities and the fact that not every patient is receiving the same type of care as another patient. Disparities in Prenatal Care Disparities in…
Topic: Why Aren’t STD Screening Guidelines the Same For Men and Women? Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) have been rising periodically for the last several years, and experts say the importance of screening is rising with it. Cases of STDs reached an all-time high in 2019, with 2.5 million cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis reported.…
Topic: Research breakthrough could protect against breast cancer progression Leading scientists have identified a possible link between antibiotic use and the speed of breast cancer growth in mice, and identified a type of immune cell that could be targeted to reverse it. In a new study funded by Breast Cancer Now, researchers from UEA and…
Topic: Why extreme heat can hurt expectant moms, prompt early pregnancy and infant death California and several western states just experienced their hottest summer on record, and this issue will likely worsen with climate change. Although the human body can tolerate heat well, extreme temperatures become a concern the older someone gets. That’s because the…
Topic: The life-saving benefits of kangaroo care A method of caring for premature newborns by swaddling them against their mother’s skin is reducing pressure on incubators, but has also been found to bring other benefits too. Ojoma Ekhomun knew the birth of her first child was going to be difficult – just as she went…