U.S. Preterm Births Are on the Rise

Over the past decade, rates of preterm birth in the United States jumped more than 10%, a new study of more than 5 million births shows.

The rise dovetailed with an increase in some factors that make an early delivery more likely, including rates of diabetes, sexually transmitted infections and mental health conditions, along with a corres...

At Two Dallas Hospitals, Kids' ER Visits for Heat Illness Nearly Tripled Over Last Decade

In a sign that climate change may be fueling heat illnesses in kids, a new study reveals that such visits to two Texas children's emergency rooms spiked 170% between 2012 and 2023.

Study leader Dr. Taylor Merritt, a resident pediatrician at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, is to present the findings Sunday at the American Academy...

U.S. E-Bike and Scooter Injuries are Soaring

FRIDAY, September 27, 2024 (HealthDay News) — Folks who depend on e-bikes and powered scooters to get around know they might get hurt, but they might be surprised by just how likely that really is.

Rates of injury on the trendy transportation devices skyrocketed between 2019 and 2022, Columbia University researchers report. E-bike in...

Could Fertility Treatments Raise Heart Defect Risks in Babies?

Babies conceived through assisted reproductive technology are more likely to be born with a major heart defect, new research shows.

That risk was 36% higher in babies conceived through techniques such as in vitro fertilization (IVF). Some congenital heart defects are life-threatening. 

The increased risk is especially pronounced...

Grandma, the Family Dog: Unexpected Sources of Opioid Tragedies for Young Kids

Grandma's pill organizer. Fido's pain medication. A tossed-away tissue.

All are potential sources of opioid poisoning for young children, researchers at the New Jersey Poison Control Center report.

Their five-year look at 230 cases of opioid exposure in children between 1 month and 6 years of age shows how easily they get their hands...

Upping Dose of Anti-Opioid Drug Might Work Better to Curb Addiction

Patients with opioid use disorder who receive higher doses of a drug to treat their addiction are more likely to have positive results, a new study finds. 

Daily doses of the drug buprenorphine is a standard treatment for opioid use disorder, and the findings suggest that higher doses may be a better way to manage it. Researchers say ...

Treatment Could Be New Option for People Battling Ulcerative Colitis

An experimental monoclonal antibody treatment appears to ease the digestive disorder ulcerative colitis in patients who've failed other medications, a new trial shows.

The treatment, tulisokibart, spurred remission of symptoms in more than a quarter of patients, compared to only 1.5% of those taking a placebo, an international group of res...

Know What 'Chroming' Is? TikTok Fad Could Harm Your Kids

Chroming, where toxic fumes from common household items are inhaled for a quick high, is on the rise among youth and TikTok may be to blame, new research suggests.

In findings that are to be presented Saturday at the American Academy of Pediatrics annual meeting in Orlando, Fla., experts took a closer look at over 100 chroming videos that ...

Babies Who Got Only Breast Milk in Hospital Have Lower Asthma Rates

If you think it isn't important to start breastfeeding your newborn while still in the hospital, think again.

New research shows that infants who were exclusively fed breast milk during their hospitalization right after birth were 22% less likely to develop asthma in early childhood.

The findings, to be presented Sunday at the Americ...

One Gun Law Reduces School Shooting Deaths

Laws that ban assault weapons do indeed protect children from dying in mass shootings, but the same can't be said for more common types of gun restrictions and regulations, new research shows.

“Mass shootings are horrific events. We found that large capacity magazine bans may have the biggest effect on reducing child deaths in mass s...

Gum Disease Germs Could Help Trigger Cancer

Bacteria that causes gum disease can also raise a person’s risk of head and neck cancers, a new study says.

More than a dozen bacterial species have been linked to a collective 50% increased risk of head and neck cancer, researchers found.

“Our results offer yet another reason to keep up good oral hygiene habits,” s...

U.S. Restarts Free COVID Test Program

Starting today, the U.S. government is offering another round of free COVID tests.

"U.S. households will be eligible to order 4 free COVID-19 tests at COVIDTests.gov," according to the Department of Health and Human Services. "The COVID-19 tests will detect current COVID-19 variants and can be used through the end of the year."

...

One More Death Tied to Listeria From Boar's Head Deli Meats

There's been one more death linked to listeria illness from tainted deli meats made by Boar's Head, bringing the death toll to 10.

The latest update from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recorded an additional death in New York State.

Overall, 59 people have now been sickened and hospitalized after consuming Boar's...

Health Concerns Around Fluoride in Water Merit EPA Action, Judge Rules

The Environmental Protection Agency must address concerns about potential health risks posed by the recommended levels of fluoride in the country's drinking water, a federal court in California has ruled.

While District Court Judge Edward Chen was careful to note his decision "does not conclude with certainty that fluoridated water i...

U.S. Suicide Death Rate Is Rising Again

U.S. suicide rates are ticking back upward again after a dip during the pandemic, new statistics show.

Suicide deaths per 100,000 people had fallen from 14.2 recorded in the pre-pandemic year of 2018 to 13.5 in 2020.

However, by 2022, the latest year for which statistics are available, the rate had climbed once more to 14.2 deaths p...

Airports Take Big Toll on Sleep of Those Living Nearby

As people living near airports probably already know, all that overhead traffic can take a huge hit to their sleep, a new study confirms.

Night-time aircraft noise increases a person’s risk of tossing and turning in bed as engines roar overhead, researchers reported Sept. 25 in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.<...

Being a 'Weekend Warrior' Can Cut Your Odds for 200 Diseases

There’s good news for folks who struggle to fit regular exercise into their busy workweek.

“Weekend warrior” workouts are just as beneficial as daily exercise to a person’s overall health, a new study says.

People who get all their weekly recommended exercise in one or two days are about as healthy as those wh...

Most Pregnant Women Will Become Iron Deficient, Study Finds

Four out of five pregnant women will become deficient in an essential nutrient, iron, by their third trimester, a new study finds.

The researchers and other experts are now advocating that iron levels be routinely checked during a pregnancy for the safety of a mother and her baby.

Right now, guidelines from the United States Preventi...

Forget BMI, 'Body Roundness' Measure Could Spot Heart Risk

“Body roundness” could be a better measure than BMI at predicting how excess weight might affect a person’s heart health, a new study finds.

People who developed a high Body Roundness Index during a six-year period had a 163% increased risk of heart disease, researchers found, and even a moderate BRI was linked with a 61%...

Brain Injury & PTSD: Veterans' Study Suggests Area of Damage Is Key

Brain damage that veterans suffered from flying shrapnel has provided a major clue that could lead to better treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a new study says.

Veterans who suffered shrapnel damage connected to their amygdala, the fear center of the brain, were less likely to develop PTSD, researchers reported Sept. 24 ...