New research into the brain chemistry of women after giving birth has given us new insight into the cause and potential treatment of postpartum depression (PPD). Despite the joy of having a baby, the majority of women develop a low mood soon after giving birth, and for 13% of women, the baby blues develops into full fledged postpartum depression. Read the rest of this entry»
What are you really worried about?
by Dr Edward PullenWhat are you really worried about? This is the elephant in the exam room oftentimes when I see patients who seem very upset about what initially seems like a trivial matter. Of course what’s trivial to me may be of grave concern to my patient. Read the rest of this entry»
The Treatment of Prostatitis
by Deborah Grant BSc(Hons) Consultant Medical HerbalistFor about 1 in 10 men, bacterial infection has caused their prostatitis. However, many men have prostatitis without any sign of an infection. 
Prostatitis is different from an enlarged prostate. Many men get an enlarged prostate as they get older but it doesn’t usually cause pain. Orthodox medical treatment of this condition is usually symptomatic. Read the rest of this entry»
The silent disease – are you at risk?
by bwildeOsteoporosis is a disease that you may not even know you have. Yet it can result in fractures, loss of height and severe pain in later life. What a lot of us don’t realise is that it can start to take hold in our 20s and 30s…….. Read the rest of this entry»
Even Slightly Early Arrivals Up Special Education Risks
by Kristie McNealy M.D.According to the results of a new study performed in Scotland, babies born between 37 and 39 weeks have a 16% higher risk of having special educational needs, when compared to babies born at a full 40 weeks gestation. It’s clear that babies born very preterm are at great risk of having longterm physical and developmental problems. What we didn’t know is exactly how the risk of these issues changed over the full range of gestational ages from 24 to 40 weeks.
A new study studied at over 400,000 school-aged children, looking at their special education needs, and the gestational age at which they were born. A child was considered to have special educational needs if they had either a learning difficulty, such as dyslexia or autism, or a physical difficulty, such as poor vision or deafness that requires special educational help.
Surprisingly, the results of the studied showed an increased risk of special educational needs in early term births (those births occurring between 37 and 39 weeks gestation). In fact, because they are so common, early term births accounted for more cases of special educational needs than preterm births did.
The results of this study are interesting, because they highlight yet another risk of elective deliveries (c-sections and inductions) before a full 40 weeks of pregnancy has been completed. We worry about physical issues like lung maturity when we plan a delivery before a woman’s due date. Now we know we should give consideration to long term developmental and educational issues as well. Unfortunately, we don’t have a test for that, like an amnio to assess fetal lung maturity.
Doctors planning elective deliveries should consider the results of this study when scheduling deliveries. Mothers should also be informed about these results, especially when it comes to decisions about managing late preterm labor, or deciding to schedule an early term birth. When we have the power to change an outcome and extend a healthy pregnancy where neither the mom or baby is at risk, this study should give both moms and doctors more motivation to do so!
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References:
- MacKay, D et al. Gestational Age at Delivery and Special Educational Need: Retrospective Cohort Study of 407,503 Schoolchildren. PLoS Med 7(6): e1000289. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1000289
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More from Dr Kristie McNealy:
- Is Your Birth Control Killing Your Sex Drive?
- 10 Things You Can Do Now to Help Prevent Alzheimer’s
- Weight, Diet and Your Granddaughters Breast Cancer Risk
- Increased Risk of Stillbirth with IVF
- Vitamin D – A New Miracle Cure?
Changing The Truth of Who We Are
by bwildeIn addition to “Easier said then done,” there are two expressions I’ve heard repeatedly over the years: “I can’t help it. It’s who I am,” and “I was only kidding.”
Obstacles to Reversing the Obesity Epidemic
by Kenneth Lin M.D.If you go to the website of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, you can download a colorful slide presentation that illustrates with stunning clarity how much worse the problem of obesity has become in the past twenty years. In 1990, every one of the 50 states could boast that fewer than 15 out of every 100 adults had an unhealthy weight; by 2008, more than 25 out of every 100 adults in 32 states were classified as obese. So who’s to blame, and what can be done about it? Read the rest of this entry»
Single Dose Radiation a Good Option for Some Breast Cancer Patients
by Kristie McNealy M.D.According to a recently completed study, a single dose of radiation may be a good option for some breast cancer patients. Read the rest of this entry»
Herbal Medicine for Fibromyalgia
by Deborah Grant BSc(Hons) Consultant Medical HerbalistFibromyalgia is a chronic or long-term condition causing pain, stiffness, and tenderness of the muscles, tendons, and joints. The condition also 
causes restless sleep, constant tiredness, anxiety, depression, and disturbances in bowel function. It is not unusual to wake up every day unrefreshed from the night’s sleep. Read the rest of this entry»
Rhinitis Medicamentosa – Don’t become a nasal spray addict!
by Dr Edward Pullen
Sounds like a silly, and certainly is a funny name, for a not so funny problem. The vasoconstrictor nasal sprays, Afrin and others are products that have possible niche roles in management of nasal congestion, yet are a common cause of misery for users. Read the rest of this entry»
