US woman gives birth to octuplets

Octuplets mother Chukwu said the new parents had much to look forward t A US woman has given birth to eight babies, becoming just the second person recorded in the US to have delivered a set of living octuplets. The six boys and two girls, who were nine weeks premature, were delivered by caesarean section in the hospital in Los Angeles, California. The babies, who weighed in at between 1.8lbs (820g) and 3.4lbs each, are all said to be doing well. They were screaming and kicking around very vigorously, a doctor said. The mother, whose identity has not been revealed, has asked that limited information be released about the births. Medical team describe a 'successful' delivery A hospital spokeswoman described the deliveries, which took place in the space of five minutes, as "truly amazing". Three of the babies needed help breathing, but all were otherwise doing well, a doctor said. The babies will be in incubators for at least six weeks and the mother is planning to breast feed them all, the hospital officials said. 'Just enjoy it' [read more]

Half of wounded Gaza children disabled

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 08:35:52 GMT

A report shows more than half of the wounded children have been disabled due to Israeli attacks during the 23-day war against Gaza.

A report reveals that half of the Palestinian children wounded during the 23-day Israeli attacks on Gaza have been permanently disabled.

The report conducted by the Algerian Authority for Developing Health and Research says that 50 percent of the children wounded are now classified as disabled.

According to the UN figures, 460 Palestinian children were killed and 1,855 others were wounded during the Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip.

The study, which is based on the findings of an Algerian media team in Gaza, also found that almost 800,000 Palestinian children suffer from mental health disorders caused by the Israeli offensive on Gaza.

The report by the Algerian organization comes as the UN Children's Fund has announced that children are the main victims of the Israeli offensive into Gaza.

"Each day more children are being hurt, their small bodies wounded, their young lives shattered. This is tragic. This is unacceptable," said UNICEF executive director Ann Veneman in a statement.

UN special expert Richard Falk also said that '46 percent of all Gaza children' suffered from acute anemia and many others are dealing with hearing disorders, deafness as well as mental disorders.

Apart from the consequences of the 23-day war, the Israeli siege of Gaza has also put the lives of many children at stake. Children in the Gaza Strip are denied of basic rights, including access to food, medicine and health care. 

 

All you need to know: Treating dry skin

Fair-skinned individuals are more likely to have dry skin, especially as they age.

To have healthy skin, a balance of oil and moisture is crucial. Skin glands secrete oil, which lubricates the surface of the skin. Moisture is the water carried to skin cells through the blood stream. The water present in skin cells keeps them youthful-looking and healthy.

Skin cells need sufficient amounts of water along with enough oil to act as a shield and prevent the excess evaporation of moisture from the top layers of the skin.

There are two types of dry skin -- simple dry skin results from a lack of natural oils and is common among women under the age of 35; complex dry skin results from the lack of both oil and moisture and is usually associated with aging.

Characterized by fine lines, brown spots, discolorations, enlarged pores, and sagging skin, complex dry skin may also stem from the damage caused by prolonged sun exposure to skin proteins -- elastin, collagen and keratin.

Dry skin tends to be dull-looking and flaky and readily develops fine lines and wrinkles. Unless some type of moisturizer or skin cream is applied, it usually feels tight and uncomfortable after washing.

Dry skin is most common on areas of the body that are exposed, such as the face and hands. Chapping and cracking especially in winter are signs of extremely dry and dehydrated skin.

Aloe vera has excellent soothing, healing and moisturizing properties.

Poor nutrition, cosmetics, excessive bathing with harsh soaps, and environmental factors -- including exposure to sun, wind and cold -- as well as chemicals can cause or aggravate dry skin. Vitamin A and B deficiencies can also contribute to the condition.

Most skins tend to become thinner and drier with age. Fair-skinned individuals are more likely to have dry skin, especially as they age.

Dry skin can also be the result of hormonal imbalance, underactive thyroid, diabetes, dermatitis, eczema and several hereditary skin conditions.

Diuretics, antispasmodics and antihistamines can also contribute to dry skin.

What to do to avoid having dry skin:

A balanced diet that includes fruits, grains, seeds, nuts, and vegetables --especially yellow and orange vegetables as they are high in beta-carotene a precursor of vitamin A -- can help prevent dry skin.

Coconut oil has skin-softening properties and prevents wrinkles and other signs of aging.

Include cod liver oil -- a good source for vitamins A and D -- in your diet. Vitamin A deficiency can cause the skin on the hands and feet to become scaly.

Sulfur helps keep the skin smooth and youthful; therefore, include in your diet plenty of sulfur-rich foods, such as onions, garlic eggs and asparagus.

To keep the skin hydrated, drink approximately 2 liters of water every day.

Try to avoid indulging in soft drinks, or eating sugar, chocolate, potato chips and other junk foods. Avoid fried foods and animal fats.

Try to avoid alcohol and caffeine as they have a diuretic effect and cause the body to lose fluids and essential minerals.

Avoid smoking and secondh and smoke. Nicotine constricts blood vessels, depriving the skin of the oxygen and nutrients it needs for good health. Smoking also involves the repetition of certain facial expressions which eventually turn into permanent wrinkles around the mouth. Smoking can also result in leathery skin.

By applying a facial mask once a week, dry cells can be removed from the skin surface, resulting in clearer and healthier-looking complexion.

Sun exposure can damage the skin and causes dryness, wrinkles, rashes and blisters. Stay out of the sun as much as possible. Always use a good sunscreen on all areas exposed to the sun.

To reduce the amount of moisture lost from the skin through evaporation, use a humidifier to humidify your environment -- particularly in winter.

Do not use very hot water when bathing or showering.

Remove dead skin cells from the face at least once a week with a loofa sponge and hot water.

To keep your skin from drying out, moisturize it after cleansing. Do not use solid, waxy moisturizing creams.

Remove dry surface skin cells and clarify the skin by using a facial mask once a week.

Fresh borage leaves have enlivening, revitalizing and nourishing properties.

Increase your water and essential fatty acid intake if your skin is dry and chapped. Lubricate and protect chapped areas from the elements.

Herbal tips for healthier skin:

Coco butter is a good skin cream which can help reduce wrinkles.

Coconut oil softens the skin and prevents wrinkles and other signs of aging.

Grapeseed oil has regenerative properties and helps control skin moisture. It is good for severe dry skin and reputedly reduces stretch marks.

RoseHip oil has regenerative properties. It helps prevent premature skin aging. It can be used to treat dry skin as well as for reducing wrinkles, stretch marks and skin discoloration.

Avocado oil is rich in Vitamin A and is beneficial for extremely dry skin.

A loofa sponge and hot water should be used to remove dead skin cells from the face at least once a week.

Castor oil is a traditional skin softener. To treat aggravated dry skin in winter, add ten drops of rosemary or sandalwood essential oil to half a cup of castor oil to make bath oil. Add one teaspoon of this mixture every time you bathe.

Sweet almond oil is rich in vitamins A and B and essential fatty acids. It is an excellent choice for softening the skin and treating eczema and dry skin.

Olive oil is an ideal moisturizing oil used for treating dry and chapped skin.

Topically applied aloe vera has excellent soothing, healing and moisturizing properties.

Calendula and comfrey have skin-softening properties. Comfrey can reduce redness and soothe irritated skin.

Avocado oil is rich in Vitamin A and is good for treating extremely dry skin.

Fresh borage leaves are considered to have enlivening, revitalizing and nourishing properties. To prepare borage tea, make an infusion of borage leaves and flowers in boiling water.

Chamomile tea can be used to soothe several skin conditions such as dermatitis and eczema.

Spraying on Lavender water as a body mist throughout the day can help replenish lost moisture. To make lavender water, add a few drops of lavender essential oil to half a cup of distilled water or make an infusion of fresh lavender leaves and flowers.

 

courtesy : By Hedieh Ghavidel  presstv, Tehran

 

 

1 daripada 4,000 bayi alami penyakit ganjil

Rare Disorders

Rare disorders including those of genetic origin, are life threatening of chronically debilitating diseases which are of such low prevalence that special combined efforts are needed to address them. As a guide, low prevalence is taken as a prevalence of less than 1 per 4000 in the community.

WEB SITE : www.mrds.org.my

Penyakit ganjil atau "jarang dijumpai" kini melanda satu dalam 4,000 bayi yang dilahirkan di negara ini, kata penasihat penyakit genetik Hospital Universiti Malaya, Dr Juliana Lee.

Terdapat beribu-ribu jenis penyakit ganjil dan ubat untuk merawatnya sukar didapati atau terlalu mahal, tambahnya.

"Antara penyakit jarang jumpa ialah tulang rapuh, distrofi otot Duchenne (DMD), Sindrom Prader-Wille (PWS), dan penyakit metabolik," katanya kepada Bernama hari ini.

Beliau berkata penyakit jarang jumpa merupakan penyakit genetik yang boleh mengakibatkan kematian atau membantutkan pertumbuhan kanak-kanak daripada segi fizikal dan mental.

"Susahnya penyakit ini selalunya tidak dapat dikesan pada awal kelahiran.

"Ada penyakit yang hanya dapat dikesan setelah kanak-kanak itu berumur empat atau lima tahun, contohnya penyakit PWS, apabila kanak-kanak terbabit membesar dan mengalami defek pada otot dan fungsi badan yang lain, sehingga terpaksa menggunakan kerusi roda," Juliana dipetik berkata.

Menurut agensi berita itu lagi, dalam kebanyakan kes, ramai pesakit terutamanya kanak-kanak meninggal dunia akibat kelewatan mengesan penyakit dan mendapatkan rawatan yang sewajarnya.

Persatuan Penyakit Jarang Jumpa Malaysia (Malaysian Rare Disorders Society) berusaha meningkatkan kesedaran ibu bapa dan malah doktor agar lebih peka terhadap sebarang simptom ganjil pada bayi yang baru dilahirkan.

Presidennya Datuk Hatijah Ayob berkata persatuan itu ditubuhkan pada 2004 untuk mengumpulkan ibu bapa yang mengalami masalah menjaga bayi sedemikian yang memerlukan sokongan dan khidmat nasihat.

Orang ramai boleh melayari laman web www.mrds.org.my bagi mendapatkan maklumat lanjut.

Attention & Learning Disorders

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), sometimes called attention deficit disorder (ADD), involves hyperactivity, difficulty paying attention and a tendency to act impulsively. Learning disorders involve problems with writing, math or reading (the best known of which is dyslexia). Oppositional defiant disorder is a related condition in which children oppose authority.

ADHD: Fast Facts

Reviewed By: Steven A. King, M.D.

• ADHD is an acronym for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
  
  
• ADHD is a set of chronic conditions marked by an inability to pay attention, hyperactivity and a tendency to engage in impulsive acts.
  
  
• Children with ADHD often struggle academically and may have difficulty establishing friendships and other relationships. As a result, they may develop poor self-esteem.
  
  
• There are three different forms of ADHD that affect children: predominantly inattentive, predominantly hyperactive/impulsive and combined.
  
  
• Predominantly inattentive ADHD is marked by difficulty paying attention.
  
  
• Predominantly hyperactive/impulsive ADHD is marked by difficulty controlling behavior.
  
  
• Combined ADHD combines symptoms of the other two forms of ADHD.
  
  
• Combined ADHD is the most common form of ADHD.
  
  
• Between 3 and 5 percent of school-aged children - or about 2 million children in the United States - have ADHD, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
  
  
• Boys are significantly more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD, but the condition affects girls as well.
  
  
• The exact cause of ADHD remains unknown.
  
  
• Scientists now believe that changes in brain structure are a leading cause of ADHD.
  
  
• Heredity also appears to play a role in the development of ADHD.
  
  
• Poor parenting or disruptions at home or school cannot cause ADHD, although they may exacerbate the condition.
  
  
• Diagnosis of AHD usually involves a variety of tests and interviews with parents, teachers and other adults who can describe the child's behavior.
  
  
• Medications called psychostimulant drugs are the most common treatment for ADHD and appear to be extremely effective.
  
  
• Psychotherapy is also helpful, particularly in children who are diagnosed with other disorders associated with ADHD.
  
  
• Specialized learning techniques can help children with ADHD to perform better in school.
  
  
• Parents can help their children to better deal with ADHD by providing additional structure to the child's life and making expectations clear.
  

Darwin's legacy

Rights of a child

Tobacco-based vaccine to treat cancer

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 21:49:46

American scientists have suggested that a new tobacco-based cancer vaccine can help treat deadly malignancies in the near future.

According to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the drug improves the body's immune response, assisting it in fighting tumor cells.

Findings suggest that the drug has shown promising results in treating patients suffering from follicular B-cell lymphoma, a chronic and incurable disease, without any significant side effects.

In the new method, tumor-target genes were cloned from each patient and injected into a virus which naturally attacks tobacco plants. Thereafter, the tobacco plant becomes a 'protein production factor' for producing an antibody chemical.

The study shows that as tumoral cells have specific target genes, each plant can be used to make a personalized vaccine for different patients.

Stanford University Medical Center researchers believe that the vaccine is unsuitable for preventative purposes.

They said that compared to the animal-derived vaccines, the plant-based drug is more effective in improving immune responses and can also be produced quicker and cheaper without the common infection risks associated with animal cells.

PKH/HGH

More from BBC

Some Mothers do 've 'em - G6PD

1. On Paracetemol (Calpol/Brufen)

Zachary Gassoumis came up with the following responses based primarily on two websites:

Substance to avoid

Drugs & Foodstuff to avoid

1) Paracetamol (a.k.a. acetaminophen) is a low-risk contraindicated substance. I have personally used it in the past without disastrous results, but you should try to avoid this and all other NSAIDs as much as possible.

2.Nuts

2) I have never read anything to suggest that nuts are unsafe. But take note that the peanut (a.k.a. groundnut) is actually a legume, not a nut, and is therefore contraindicated for people with G6PD deficiency.

3.Chocolate beans 4.Green beans 5.Chick peas 6.Lentils 7.Legumes

3-7) All legumes are contraindicated for G6PD deficients - see website below for a fairly comprehensive list.

Legumes etc

8. Vitamin C (or oranges/lemons)

8) Natural vitamin C as found in oranges and lemons is perfectly safe, but the synthetic form found in most vitamins (called ascorbic acid) is contraindicated.

9. Folic acid

9) The same is true for folic acid. The natural form (folate) is perfectly safe and found in fruits and vegetables (especially green leafy vegetables). The synthetic form, folic acid, can be hazardous to people with G6PD deficiency - just like most synthetic drugs.

Courtesy : Zachary Gassoumis

'MCKK should be in league of its own'

the Malay College Kuala Kangsar - the Big School

"I am fully aware of the importance of quality, the importance of the education standard in the college be upgraded into world standard so that the tradition of churning out credible national leaders can be continued and the capacity to produce outstanding national heroes at the international arena can be realised," the Raja Muda of Perak, Raja Dr Nazrin Shah, said at the MCKK speech day and prize presentation. . . . . read more c/w comments.

Indian baby 'back from the dead'

BBC News - Thursday, 19 June 2008

Dr Merchant said that the 30-year-old mother of the child - who was seven months pregnant - suffered life threatening convulsions and high blood pressure over the weekend, which required powerful medicines.

He said that that the doctors believed that the baby - who was limp at birth - had no heart beat and no pulse.

But later, when the effect of medicines wore off, Dr Merchant said that the baby "showed attempts to breathe". . . . full news.

Higher education loan no longer tied to savings account

Tuesday June 10, 2008 MYT 10:04:40 PM – StarOnline

PETALING JAYA: The Government will not enforce the minimum savings requirement that was previously compulsory for anyone wanting to obtain a loan from the National Higher Education Fund Corporation.

Previously, parents needed to open a National Education Savings Scheme (SSPN) account in order to qualify for the loan.

“To ease the burden on students wanting to obtain a study loan, the Government has decided that the ruling on compulsory savings would not be enforced this year.

“Those wanting to take a loan need only have a minimum of RM20 in their SSPN account to apply for the loan,” Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said in a statement Tuesday.

Under the minimum savings ruling enforced on Jan 1 this year, parents with a monthly household income of less than RM2,000 must have deposited at least RM500 in their SSPN account to qualify for a loan.

Parents who earn more than RM2,000 monthly must have saved up at least RM3,000.

The SSPN was established in 2004 and was aimed at encouraging parents to save for their children’s education.

The main advantage of the SSPN was that the Government provided a matching grant of up to RM10,000 for parents who earned less than RM2,000 monthly.

Other benefits of the SSPN, which is administered by the corporation, included yearly dividends that were tax-exempt.

Be patient

30-05-2008 10:56:15 AM

MY four-year-old daughter is an introvert. I notice she has problems making friends with other children.

She refuses to go to kindergarten. I have tried sending her to two different kindergartens and a social development class.

They were all futile attempts because she cried and was unco-operative, even though the teachers and kids were nice to her.

Two weeks ago, I sent her to a kindergarten which is within walking distance from our house. I thought she might feel more confident as home is just around the corner. But I was mistaken. After three days, she started crying and shouting. She refused to go to school.

I do not know how to encourage her to join a preschool and mix with other children. I would like her to be more sociable. When I take her to the playground, especially to the slide which she loves most, she will wait until all the other kids have left. Only then will she play on the slide. When other kids come over to join in, she would stop playing and stand by the corner quietly.

I am concerned about this negative behaviour that I see in her.

How do I encourage my daughter to socialise with other children? How do I influence her to love going to school? –

Concerned Mother

Parents worry when their children do not behave as expected. If the parents are extroverts, they may feel uneasy about their children's introvert behaviour. They do not understand why their children prefer to play alone and struggle to remain in groups.

Being shy is hardly a weakness in a child. Your daughter needs more time and patience to adjust in a group.

She may be more observant and cautious in a social setting. When a child is an introvert, she is turned off by large groups and prefers one-to-one contact. This does not mean that she will not learn to participate in group play. You can help her get used to being with other people by having her play with one child at a time.

Before sending her to kindergarten, survey the possibility of setting up play dates with children from her class.

Introverts tend to internalise their thoughts and intentions more than extroverts. They can be imaginative and have stimulating ideas. Unlike their extroverted peers, they don’t blurt out everything; they tend to share their ideas when the time is right for them. They are not anti-social.

To encourage your child to socialise, you must first respect and understand her need for time alone. She will not be the live wire of the group but her quiet nature can have a calming effect on others. Your good intentions can backfire if you constantly push her to play with others.

Accept her behaviour when she stands on the sideline and watch others play. She feels better when she knows you support her unconditionally.

Later when you are alone with her, ask her about her observations. The more she shares with you her findings, the more familiar she gets with the art of socialising.

She will know what are the expectations in a group and how she should behave to be accepted. This will help her to gain courage to join others at the next playground visit. Many four-year-olds find it difficult to transition from home to school. They worry about being away from home and having to deal with strangers.

They are afraid that they may never see their mum and dad again when they are away in school. They have to overcome this fear before they can be happy in school. Before enrolling in a school, take your daughter for a few visits. Let her indicate her readiness before you sign up. Do not be in a hurry to enrol her. Her perception is different from yours. Let her feel secure first before you send her off to school.

Courtesy : RUTH LIEW - mSTAR Online

Preventing Diabetes With Diet And Exercise

In a Diabetes Special Issue of The Lancet, researchers demonstrate that group-based lifestyle interventions of diet and exercise for a period of six years may prevent or delay diabetes for up to 14 years following the intervention. It is not clear, however, that lifestyle interventions also reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality.

There have been several major clinical trials in various countries that have demonstrated how people with impaired glucose tolerances can reduce their likelihood of diabetes due to lifestyle interventions. Researchers, though, still have questions regarding the length of time after intervention that the strategies remain effective. To investigate this issue, Professor Guangwei Li, (China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China), Dr Ping Zhang (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA), and colleagues conducted the China Da Qing Diabetes Prevention Outcome Study (CDQDPOS) - analyzing 20 years of patient follow-up data.

The patients who participated in the study all had impaired glucose tolerance and came from 33 clinics in China. In 1986, the researchers randomly assigned the patients to one of three lifestyle intervention groups (diet, exercise, or diet and exercise) or to the control group. Over a period of six years (until 1992), the patients experienced active intervention, and a 2006 follow-up provided data that would be used to assess the interventions' long-term effects on main outcomes such as diabetes incidence, CVD incidence and mortality, and all-cause mortality.

During the active intervention period, the combined lifestyle intervention group had a 51% reduction in incidence of diabetes compared to participants in the control group. Over the whole 20-year period, this effect was reduced to 43%. Intervention participants had an average annual incidence of new diabetes diagnoses of 7%, compared an 11% rate for control participants. After 20 years, 80% of those in the intervention group had diabetes and 93% of the control group did; intervention group participants suffered 3.6 fewer years with the disease than control group participants. The researchers, however, did not find a significant difference between the intervention and control groups when measuring the rates of first CVD events, CVD mortality and all-cause mortality.

"This study has shown that, in Chinese people with impaired glucose tolerance, group-based interventions targeting lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise produce a durable and long-lasting reduction in incidence of type 2 diabetes...Since around 3 million excess deaths a year are attributable to diabetes worldwide, lifestyle interventions seem to be a justifiable public-health action both in developed and developing nations," conclude the authors.

Dr Jaana Lindström (National Public Health Institute, Helsinki and University of Helsinki, Finland) and Professor Matti Uusitupa (University of Kuopio, Finland) write in an accompanying editorial that, "We propose that lifestyle intervention should start much earlier, when people are normoglycaemic, to achieve true primary prevention of type 2 diabetes and its main consequence, cardiovascular disease. In this regard, both population-based strategies and those targeted at high-risk groups should be applied."

Editor's Choice
Main Category: Diabetes
Also Included In: Nutrition / Diet; Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness
Article Date: 23 May 2008 - 0:00 PDT

81 recognized as suicide victims from overwork in 2007

TOKYO — A record of 81 people were recognized as suicide victims due to mental disorders from overwork. . more.

Counseling Gaza's traumatized children

As George Bush concludes his trip to the Middle East in another effort to revive talks between Israeli and Palestinian leaders, Gaza, the small, overcrowded strip of land slides ever deeper into economic catastrophe. Another in The Guardian's film series about life in Gaza, multimedia reporter Clancy Chassay meets those counseling the area's traumatized children

India to America: Eat Less, Fatties

Fast food is on the rise in Bangalore, where the economy is booming

Uriel Sinai / Getty Images

Bush's wording was perhaps simplistic, a point U.S. diplomats have been at pains to rectify as they try to dampen the food fight between the two countries. But Bush was not completely wrong, either. There's no doubt that China and India's growing middle classes are consuming more and different types of food. As people get richer they tend to eat more meat and dairy products, for instance, and that's exactly what's happening in China and India. . read more

Report Says Basic Medical Care Could Save Lives of 6 Million Children a Year

By Douglas Bakshian Manila 06 May 2008

A new report says the lives of millions of young children could be saved each year if basic medical care and medicine are made available to the poor. Douglas Bakshian has more from Manila.

The report by the U.S. organization Save the Children says about 10 million children die every year from easily preventable and treatable diseases. About six million of those could be saved with basic services. . . . read more

Malaysia plans women travel curbs

Page last updated at 11:57 GMT, Sunday, 4 May 2008 12:57 UK

The proposal has been criticised as impractical and regress Women's groups in Malaysia have reacted angrily to proposed government restrictions on women travelling abroad on their own. State media say the plan would require women to obtain written consent from their families or employers. The Malaysian foreign minister said the move would prevent single women being used by gangs to smuggle drugs. The proposal follows a review of criminal cases where women had been jailed abroad. Outrage Foreign Minister Rais Yatim said 90% of cases where Malaysian women had been jailed by foreign courts involved drugs. He told the New Sunday Times newspaper that a compulsory letter of consent to travel alone would enable women's families to make sure they were not being tricked by drug smuggling gangs. "Many of these women (who travel alone) leave the country on the pretext of work or attending courses and seminars," he said. "With this declaration, we will know for sure where and for what she is travelling overseas," he said. Women's groups have expressed outrage at the plan. The National Council for Women's Organisations said it would infringe women's rights. Another group, Sisters in Islam, said the proposal was totally ridiculous and regressive, and assumed that women were less capable than men of making their own decisions. Campaigners have pointed out that letters of permission to travel would be very easy to forge. In recent years the influence of hardline Islamic groups has been increasing in Malaysia, but it is unclear whether this proposal has any religious motive.

A Blood Test To Predict Menopause

That's what scientists in the Netherlands have done. Reporting in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, they report that a simple blood test, for a hormone called anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH), could help women predict when they will enter menopause, and therefore how to set their fertility timetable. "Predicting menopause itself might not be that interesting," admits Dr. Jeroen van Disseldorp, lead author of the study and a fertility specialist at University Medical Center Utrecht. "But menopause is associated with fertility. So, predicting menopause might become more and more important in the future as women continue to delay childbearing." . . . . . read more

Caffeine and Pregnancy: How Risky?

A pregnant woman sips coffee at the office.

Several studies suggest a link between caffeine consumption and risk of miscarriage. But the cause and effect has never been clear: does caffeine increase a woman's risk of miscarrying, or do women who are already at low risk for miscarriage tend not to drink caffeine? . . . . read more

1 in 4 U.S. Toddlers Improperly Vaccinated

"If children receive vaccines too close together or too early, they're not as likely to be protected, and if you have a lot of that, then you're more likely to have disease outbreaks," Luman said.

One reason for lack of strict adherence to the vaccine schedule may be a fading consciousness among today's parents of what these immunizations are protecting children against. Frenck said he remembers seeing a childhood friend in an iron lung, the result of polio.

"It scared me to death," he said. "Kids these days, and probably most adults, don't even known what an iron lung is -- and that's because of immunization." . . . . read more