February 2011

Smoking Early in Pregnancy Increase Heart Risks for Infants

Maternal cigarette smoking in the first trimester was associated with a 20 to 70 percent greater likelihood that a baby would be born with certain types of congenital heart defects, according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Congenital heart defects are the most common type of birth defects, contributing to approximately 30 percent of infant deaths from birth defects annually.

Breast Feeding May Counter Some Effects of Childhood Cancer

Breast-feeding may help reduce some long-term negative side effects of cancer treatment in women who survived childhood cancer, according to a new study.

The findings suggest that making women aware of the benefits of breast-feeding should be part of routine recommendations for a post-cancer healthy lifestyle, said Susan W. Ogg and colleagues from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn.

Breast Cancer Therapy Contributes to Hip Fracture Risk

Painful Hip Fractures Strike Breast Cancer Survivors

A hip fracture is not common in a 54-year-old woman, unless she is a 54-year-old breast cancer survivor, according to a new Northwestern Medicine study. Researchers found that a combination of early menopause due to breast cancer treatment and common drugs used to treat breast cancer, could be weakening the bones of breast cancer survivors once they hit middle age, leading to hip fractures.

Results of the study are published in the February 2011 issue of Clinical Cancer Research.

New Report Focuses on Women and Diabetes

A new report Women at High Risk for Diabetes: Access and Quality of Health Care, 2003–2006 was released on February 14, 2011 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) . The full report can be downloaded or free print copies ordered HERE .

Understanding the Science of Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a traditional medicine that’s been practiced in China and other Asian countries for thousands of years. Its proponents say it can do everything from relieving pain to bringing a general sense of wellness. Others think the only benefits you get from acupuncture are in your head. Recent studies have found that both sides may have a point. Acupuncture can be effective for certain health problems, such as some types of chronic pain. But how it works is something of a mystery.

Women Benefit More than Men with New Heart Device

Research has shown that women are not treated as aggressively as men after a heart attack or stroke.   A new study has found that women benefit more than men from a device that improves the heart’s pumping ability and corrects abnormal heart rhythms.  The new device combines cardiac resynchronization therapy with an implanted defibrillator.  The study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that the device was linked to a 70% reduction in heart failure in women vs.

Drinking Raw Milk May Not Be a Healthy Idea

As more people turn to organic lifestyles, we thought it would be a good idea to share this post on raw milk.
Posted February 15, 2011     By LCDR Casey Barton Behravesh, DVM, DrPH, US Public Health Service

There are many reasons why some people are thinking about drinking raw milk these days. (Raw milk is milk that has not been pasteurized to kill harmful germs.) Some people want to eat less processed food. Others have heard that raw milk contains more of certain nutrients than pasteurized milk, or that it can prevent or even solve various health problems. Still others think of buying raw milk as one way to support local farmers and sustainable agriculture.

3-D Mammography System Approved

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first 3-D mammography imaging system that may boost accuracy in breast cancer detection and diagnosis.

A mammogram is a safe, low-dose X-ray of the breast that is the best tool for early detection of breast cancer. However, with the limitations of conventional two-dimensional (2-D) imaging, about 10 percent of women undergo additional testing after the initial screening exam for abnormalities that are later determined to be noncancerous.

Women Veterans Need Our Support!

Fatigues to Fabulous to Aid Women Veterans

The Society for Women’s Health Research (SWHR) announced today that Tuesday, February 15th during Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, SWHR and their partner Grace After Fire, a support network for women veterans, will be launching the Fatigues to Fabulous (F2F) campaign – a national program created to honor the service of women veterans and support their transition home. The campaign is working with the fashion industry to help women make the transition to a civilian wardrobe, raise awareness of the challenges women veterans face upon return, and harness resources to support them.