Middle-age Women can Choose Pap smear or HPV Test for Cancer Screening !

Middle-aged women can choose which test to undergo for cervical cancer screening, according to a draft recommendation from an influential group backed by the U.S. government.

Women ages 30 to 65 can choose to receive a Pap test every three years or a human papillomavirus (HPV) test every five years, according to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). The group did not previously recommend HPV testing without a Pap test.

"Women and providers should continue to recognize that cervical cancer is a serious disease that can be prevented," said Dr. Maureen Phipps, a member of the USPTF.

"Women who can be identified early through screening can have effective treatment for cervical cancer and go on to lead robust lives," said Phipps, who is also chair of obstetrics and gynecology at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island.

Cervical cancer was once a leading cause of cancer death for women in the U.S., but the death rate has been cut in half thanks mostly to screening, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS).

Read more: Middle-age Women can Choose Pap smear or HPV Test for Cancer Screening !

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Slideshow: 10 signs of cervical cancer you need to know about

Source: MSN Health

Cesarean Delivery May Increase Risk of Childhood Obesity

Children born by cesarean delivery may have an increased risk of becoming obese, compared with their siblings born by vaginal delivery, says study. This finding may have significant implications for the almost 1.3 million cesarean births per year in the United States.

Cesarean delivery is the most common U.S. surgical procedure and accounts for one third of deliveries nationwide.

The most common risk to children born via cesarean delivery is respiratory problems, while increasing evidence suggests children may also have an increased risk of other adverse health outcomes as adults.

Read more: Cesarean Delivery May Increase Risk of Childhood Obesity

Cesarean delivery can increase a child's risk of obesity into adulthood, study finds.

Source: medicalnewstoday

Breast-Feeding May Reduce Asthma Symptoms For At-Risk Infants

A new study provides further evidence of the health benefits of breast-feeding, after finding infants with a genetic susceptibility for asthma development are less likely to experience symptoms of the condition if they are breast-fed.

Asthma is estimated to affect around 8.6 percent of children and adolescents in the United States, making it one of the most common chronic childhood diseases.

Asthma symptoms are the same for children as for adults; these include wheezing, coughing, breathing problems, and chest tightness. However, because children have smaller airways, symptoms may be more severe.

As a result, asthma is the third leading cause of hospital stays and a leading cause of missed school days for children in the U.S.

While the precise causes of asthma remain unclear, studies have suggested the respiratory condition may arise as a result of environmental and genetic factors.

Read more: Breast-Feeding May Reduce Asthma Symptoms For At-Risk Infants

Breast-feeding may reduce respiratory symptoms for children genetically susceptible to asthma
development.

Source: medicalnewstoday

Heatwaves, Cold Snaps May Raise Preterm Birth Risk

Being pregnant during a heatwave is far from the most pleasant scenario for a woman, but new research finds such extreme temperatures may do more than make expectant mothers uncomfortable; they could increase the risk of preterm birth.

In a study published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, researchers from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that exposure to extreme cold or intense heat during pregnancy increased women's preterm birth risk by up to a fifth.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2014, around 1 in 10 infants in the United States were born preterm - defined as the birth of a baby before 37 weeks of pregnancy.

Preterm birth is the leading cause of infant death in the U.S., and it is also a primary cause of long-term disabilities and neurological disorders, such as cerebral palsy and developmental delay.

Read more: Heatwaves, Cold Snaps May Raise Preterm Birth Risk

Researchers say exposure to extreme heat or cold during pregnancy may increase the risk of preterm
birth.

Source: medicalnewstoday

All You Need to Know About the Glucose Tolerance Test

Most of the food people eat is turned directly into glucose when digested, and the body uses it as energy. The pancreas is responsible for making the hormone insulin which helps to get glucose into the cells of the body.

Diabetes is a long-term disease that occurs due to the pancreas not producing enough insulin or the body being unable to use the insulin it produces effectively.

The body is unable to process food properly to use for energy. Glucose builds up in the blood, which can lead to severe health problems.

There are two main types of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and young adults and is also known as juvenile diabetes. With type 1 diabetes the body does not produce insulin. 

Read more: All You Need to Know About the Glucose Tolerance Test

A glucose tolerance test can be used to screen for type 2 diabetes. Gestational diabetes can occur in
pregnant woman who have never had diabetes but have high blood glucose levels. During the
glucose test, some people may experience nausea, lightheadedness, shortness of breath, and sweating.

Source: medicalnewstoday

How Much Influence Does Alcohol Have on Female Fertility?

Although abstinence from alcohol is widely recommended when trying to become pregnant, its exact implications for a woman's fertility are not known. A new study published in The BMJ charts the interaction in new detail.

An estimated 24 percent of couples in developed countries take more than 12 months to conceive.

Because drinking alcohol is a pervasive part of modern life, its impact on fertility is of great interest.

An estimated 18.2 percent of American women aged 18-44 engage in binge drinking (more than four drinks in one sitting), three times per month.

More than one drink per day during pregnancy has been linked to low birth weight, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, and preterm birth.

However, although alcohol is known to influence male and female reproductive systems and the unborn fetus, its influence on fertility is not well understood

Read more: How Much Influence Does Alcohol Have on Female Fertility?

A new study looks in detail at alcohol and fertility.

Source: medicalnewstoday

Folic Acid May Protect Against Congenital Heart Defects

Foods fortified with folic acid decrease rates of some types of congenital heart defects in Canada, finds new research published in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation.

Folic acid is a B vitamin that our bodies use to make new cells, and it is important for the development of a healthy fetus.

Adding folic acid to white flour, pasta, and cornmeal has been mandatory in Canada since 1998. Evidence of folic acid reducing neural tube defects, oral cleft, and cardiovascular anomalies led to the Government of Canada taking steps to help women of childbearing age increase the amount of folate they consume.

The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that women take 400 micrograms of folic acid per day from at least 1 month before getting pregnant to prevent major birth defects of the baby's brain (anencephaly) and spine (spina bifida).

Read more: Folic Acid May Protect Against Congenital Heart Defects

The risk of the most common type of congenital heart disease could be reduced with foods fortified
with folic acid.

Source: medicalnewstoday

High-Fat Diet in Pregnancy Reduces Beneficial Gut Microbiota for Offspring

Eating a high-fat diet during pregnancy could alter the population of gut microbiota in offspring, which may have negative implications for nutrition and development. This is the conclusion of a new study published in the journal Genome Medicine.

It is well established that what women eat and drink during pregnancy can influence the health and development of their child.

For example, it is recommended that expectant mothers consume 0.4 milligrams of folic acid every day in order to help prevent certain birth defects, and current advice says a healthy, balanced diet is best for both mother and baby.

Read more: High-Fat Diet in Pregnancy Reduces Beneficial Gut Microbiota for Offspring

Women who eat a high-fat diet in pregnancy may be putting their offspring's health and development at risk,
say researchers.

Source: medicalnewstoday

Change in 'Cervical Stitch' Thread Size Could Save Infants' Lives

The cervical stitch is a common procedure used to prevent preterm birth. Breaking research concludes that the size of the thread used can make a significant difference to the outcome for the infant.

An estimated 1 in 10 American babies are born prematurely.

Being born before the 37-week mark is the greatest contributor to infant death and a leading cause of long-term neurological disabilities.

Preterm births are triggered by the cervix opening too early and allowing the baby to enter the birth canal.

Women who are considered at high risk of miscarriage or preterm birth often undergo the cervical stitch procedure, also known as cervical cerclage.

Read more: Change in 'Cervical Stitch' Thread Size Could Save Infants' Lives

A small change in cervical stitch thread size could save lives.

Source: medicalnewstoday

Pregnancy Rates Higher for Women Who Have Had Tonsils, Appendix Removed

New study has uncovered a surprising association, finding that the surgical removal of the appendix or tonsils in younger age may increase a woman's chance of pregnancy.

Study co-author Sami Shimi, clinical senior lecturer in the School of Medicine at the University of Dundee, United Kingdom, and colleagues say their findings - published in Fertility and Sterility - should ease concerns that such procedures may reduce a woman's fertility.

The surgical removal of the tonsils, known as a tonsillectomy, is normally carried out as a result of frequent infection or inflammation of the tonsils (tonsillitis) or sleep-disordered breathing.

Surgical removal of the appendix, called an appendectomy, is normally the first-line treatment when the organ becomes infected or swollen - a condition known as appendicitis.

Read more: Pregnancy Rates Higher for Women Who Have Had Tonsils, Appendix Removed

Women who underwent a tonsillectomy or appendectomy when younger
were found to have higher pregnancy rates in a new study.

Source: medicalnewstoday

Are Vitamin Supplements for Pregnant Women a Waste of Money?

It is essential that an expectant mother receives adequate nutrition to promote the healthy development of her unborn child. To this end, the market is awash with maternal vitamin supplements. A new review asks whether these pills are as necessary as they claim to be.

Maternal deficiency of certain nutrients has been linked to a number of negative health consequences for mother and child.

Risks include restricted fetal growth, low birth weight, skeletal deformities, and pre-eclampsia.

These well-known dangers support a huge vitamin, mineral, and micronutrient industry aimed at pregnant women.

Typically, these tablets will contain 20 or more vitamins and minerals, often including a range of B vitamins, C, D, E, K, iodine, folic acid, magnesium, zinc, selenium, and copper.

Read more: Are Vitamin Supplements for Pregnant Women a Waste of Money?

Are pregnancy supplements as essential to maternal health as they claim to be?

Source: medicalnewstoday

Most Fertility Apps Unlikely to Help Plan or Prevent Pregnancy

We are increasingly relying on smartphone apps to help keep track of our health; a recent survey found that more than half of smartphone users in the United States have downloaded such a tool. But according to a new study, when it comes to fertility apps, they are unlikely to help users avoid or achieve a pregnancy.

Lead researcher Dr. Marguerite Duane, of Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C., and colleagues came to their conclusion after conducting a review of almost 100 fertility apps.

According to Dr. Duane, the use of such apps is gaining popularity, as an increasing number of reproductive-age women look to use fertility awareness-based methods (FABMs) as a way of having greater control over whether or not they become pregnant.

Read more: Most Fertility Apps Unlikely to Help Plan or Prevent Pregnancy

Researchers found most fertility apps are unlikely to help women prevent or plan a pregnancy.

Source: medicalnewstoday

Gene Mutation 'Hotspots' Linked to Better Cancer Outcomes

Patients with the mutations tended to survive longer and had tumors more susceptible to aggressive treatment.

Breast cancer patients with groups of mutations clustered in their genome have better outcomes than patients without them, researchers found in a recent study.

More than half of breast cancer patients have clusters of genetic mutations called kataegis, and their cancer tends to be less invasive, offering better opportunities for effective treatment, according to researchers at the University of California San Diego.

Read more: Gene Mutation 'Hotspots' Linked to Better Cancer Outcomes

Although researchers are unsure of how the clusters of genetic mutations called kataegis occur,
but cancer patients who have them in tumors tend to respond better to treatment and have better
outcomes, according to a recent study.

Source: cigdem/Shutterstock