Aug. 5, 2011 — Women with anorexia or bulimia or a history of eating disorders have more fertility problems, unplanned pregnancies, and negative feelings about having a child than women with no such history, a new study from the United Kingdom finds.
Researchers from King’s College London and the University College London examined data from surveys of more than 11,000 pregnant women, including about 500 with a history of anorexia nervosa, bulimia, or both conditions.
Although women with a history of eating disorders were no more likely than other women… Continue Reading

Thermographic Imaging Systems for Breast Cancer Screening: FDA Safety Communication

[Posted 06/02/2011]
AUDIENCE: Consumers, Patients
ISSUE: FDA notified consumers, women who participate in breast cancer screening and healthcare professionals that thermography is not a replacement for screening mammography and should not be used by itself to diagnose breast cancer. Thermographic systems use an infrared camera to produce images (thermograms) that show the patterns of heat and blood flow on or near the surface of the body. The FDA is not aware of any valid scientific data to show that… Continue Reading

Triad Sterile Lubricating Jelly: Recall – Product May Not Be Sterile
Product may be contained in kits, packs, or trays that have been packaged after December 2010 by other firms, including brand names Allegiance, Select Medical Products, Novaplus, Triad, Triad Plus, IMCO, McKesson Medi-Pak Performance, Henry Schein
AUDIENCE: Risk Manager
ISSUE: These products may not be sterile. Patients who are immuno-compromised, such as those with diabetes, cancer and certain other chronic diseases, may be at potential risk for infection.
BACKGROUND: Triad lubricating… Continue Reading

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Jan 10, 2011 — Children born within one year of an older sibling may be three times more likely to be diagnosed with autism, according to a new study in the February issue of Pediatrics.
The study calls attention to interpregnancy interval (IPI), the duration between pregnancies, as a potential risk factor for autism. In the past, much focus has been on environmental triggers of autism such as vaccines as opposed to maternal physiological triggers such as the womb environment.
If… Continue Reading

‘Female Viagra’ Pill Has Little Effect on Libido: FDA
A new pill created to increase a woman’s sex drive didn’t have much impact on libido but did appear to slightly boost sexual satisfaction, according to two studies reviewed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The drug, called flibanserin, is related to the antidepressant family and affects serotonin and a number of other brain chemicals. Drug maker Boehringer Ingelheim is seeking FDA approval of the drug, the Associated Press reported.
On Friday, an FDA advisory panel of outside experts will meet… Continue Reading

Using existing technology, researchers are hopeful that a simple blood test that can detect fetal DNA in expectant mothers will be able to diagnose Down’s syndrome as early as 8 weeks after conception. Unlike invasive procedures such as amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling (CVS), the test poses no risk to the fetus.
Down syndrome occurs when a child has three, rather than two, copies of the 21st chromosome. The condition causes mild to moderate impairment of cognitive ability. Common physical traits of Down syndrome are low muscle tone, small stature,… Continue Reading

GAITHERSBURG, Md. – Federal health advisers said overwhelmingly that the Roche drug Avastin’s approval for breast cancer should be withdrawn after follow-up studies failed to show meaningful benefits for patients.
A Food and Drug Administration panel of experts voted 12-1 in favor of removing the drug’s indication for use in breast cancer patients alongside chemotherapy on Tuesday.
The FDA in 2008 approved Avastin for breast cancer based on a trial showing it significantly lengthened the time until the disease worsened. But two follow-up studies recently completed by Roche failed to show… Continue Reading

July 21, 2010 — Many pregnant women cut out caffeine the minute they find out they are expecting because of fears that their daily coffee may increase their risk for miscarriage or preterm birth.
But a new position statement issued by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) should put some of their fears to rest. The group states that moderate caffeine intake — less than 200 milligrams a day — won’t increase their risk of miscarriage or preterm birth.
The same cannot be said for higher amounts of caffeine, the group… Continue Reading

Every woman wants to have a healthy baby. Yogic practices, when done with care, can make a woman’s body stronger and more flexible. Yoga poses tone your muscles, improving the overall balance and circulation, while making your joints more limber.
Every woman wants to have a healthy baby. Yogic practices, when done with care, can make a woman’s body stronger and more flexible. Yoga poses tone your muscles, improving the overall balance and circulation, while making your joints more limber. Yoga poses help you breathe and relax, which can… Continue Reading