Prenatal Health: Prenatal exposure to common air pollution ♦ Pregnant women not getting enough omega-3, critical ♦ Evidence against the fetal origins of cancer

New moms more satisfied after giving birth in a public hospital  Women who give birth in a public hospital are more confident parents compared to women who have babies privately. "We found that compared to women in a private hospital, women who birthed in the public sector had six times the odds of being telephoned by a care provider, 34 times the odds of being visited at home and five times the odds of visiting a GP within 10 days of being at home,"

Prenatal exposure to common air pollution linked to cognitive, behavioral impairment  A powerful relationship between prenatal polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) exposure and disturbances in parts of the brain that support information processing and behavioral control have been identified by researchers. The study showed reductions in nearly the entire white matter surface of the brain's left hemisphere -- loss associated with slower processing of information during intelligence testing and more severe behavioral problems, including ADHD and aggression

Pregnant women not getting enough omega-3, critical for infant development, research shows A research team studied the first 600 women in a cohort during and after their pregnancy to see whether they were consuming enough omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega 3-LCPUFA) to meet current recommendations. They found that in fact, most of these women were not.

Study provides evidence against the fetal origins of cancer, cardiovascular disease A study evaluated the relationship between nutritional conditions in early life and adult health, and found that famine exposure during the first pregnancy trimester was associated with increases in mortality from causes other than cancer or cardiovascular disease. This is the first study to quantify the possible long-term effects of nutrition deprivation at different stages of pregnancy and long-term mortality.

Childrens Health:Autistic features linked to prenatal exposure fire retardants ♦ Weight loss surgery can be a safe option for children ♦ Poverty, not the 'teenage brain,' accounts for high rates of teen crime

Autistic features linked to prenatal exposure to commonly found fire retardants, phthalates  Exposure during pregnancy to a combination of fire retardant chemicals and phthalate chemicals -- both present in the average home -- can contribute to autistic-like behaviors in the offspring, according to an animal study. Continue Reading

Family interventions reduce rates in children, adolescents  A global review into the effectiveness of family-based programs has found these programs can be highly effective in stopping children from taking up smoking. "Preventing children from starting to smoke is important to avoid a lifetime of addiction, poor health, and social and economic consequences." Continue Reading

Weight loss surgery can be a safe option for obese children, experts say  Weight loss surgery does not stunt the growth of obese children when applied within a clinical pathway. It is a safe option to use and provides hope for youngsters who are unable to shed pounds through weight management programs that include counseling and lifestyle changes, Continue Reading

Simple sideline test shown effective in diagnosing concussion in student athletes as young as 5 years old  An easy-to-administer vision test has shown effective in diagnosing concussion in student athletes as young as 5 years old..Continue reading

Poverty, not the 'teenage brain,' accounts for high rates of teen crime  While many blame the 'teenage brain' for high rates of teen crime, violence, and driving incidents, an important factor has been ignored: teenagers as a group suffer much higher average poverty rates than do older adults. A new study finds that teenagers are no more naturally crime-prone than any other group with high poverty rates. Continue Reading