Despite both positive and negative connections between coffee drinking and other diseases, neither decaf nor regular coffee had any impact on a woman’s risk of developing either RA or SLE.

Drinking tea, on the other hand, was linked to a increased risk of developing RA, and drinking more tea upped the risk even further (≥4 cups of tea per day vs no tea: HR 1.78 (95%CI 0.83-3.82)).  Of course, researchers caution that the study does not prove that drinking tea directly causes rheumatoid arthritis.  At this point we have no idea how tea consumption and RA are actually connected, but it does provide an interesting area for further research.

Like many other studies, while the data is interesting and kind of surprising, there are still many unanswered questions.  You probably don’t need to run out and rid your cupboards of tea just yet.

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Reference:

• Walitt B et al.  Coffee and tea consumption and method of coffee preparation in relation to risk of rheumatoid arthrisits and systemic lups erythematosus in potmenopausal women.  Annual Congress of the European League Against Rheumatism 2010.

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Family Health Guide brings you daily news from well-regarded sources such as JAMA, BMJ, Lancet, BMA, Leading Universities, plus articles from our own editorial team. Join the 95,000 people following @famhealthguide

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More from Dr Kristie McNealy:

1. Alcohol May Protect Women from Alzheimer’s Disease
2. Research Gives Clues to Preventing Postpartum Depression
3. Is Your Birth Control Killing Your Sex Drive?
4. 10 Things You Can Do Now to Help Prevent Alzheimer’s
5. Weight, Diet and Your Granddaughters Breast Cancer Risk
6. Increased Risk of Stillbirth with IVF
7. Vitamin D – A New Miracle Cure?

The study examined blood samples from 266 women aged 20 to 49 who were taking part in the ongoing Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study. Researchers found that measuring the levels of anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) and plugging that result into a statistical model they developed allowed them to accurately predict a woman’s age at menopause.

Results of the test were very accurate when compared to the ages which women in the study actually reached menopause.  In fact, according to researcher Ramezani Tehrani, “The average difference between the predicted age at menopause using our model and the women’s actual age was only a third of a year and the maximum margin of error for our model was only three to four years,” said Ramezani Tehrani.

AMH has been proposed as a measure of ovarian function, because it is the hormone which controls the development of follicles that produce the eggs.  Because it is produced only by small follicles in the ovary, AMH blood levels are thought to reflect the size of a woman’s remaining egg supply, otherwise known as the ovarian reserve.  As women age, the size of their pool of remaining microscopic follicles decreases, and AMH levels also drop.

If further study proves that these results are accurate, this test could provide very useful information for women who want to plan when they will start their family.  By determining which women will enter menopause early, it will give these women the option to try to have children sooner instead of later.

Reference:

Tehrani, FR et al.  Whether age at menopause is predictable using Anti -Mullerian serum concentration?  ESHRE ROME 2010.

Related Articles:

1. Menopause symptoms: An Overview
2. Hot Flushes: What works and what doesn’t.
3. Irregular Periods: What causes them and what can help.
4. Night Sweats: Overview of lifestyle measures and medical treatments
5. Join Pain: Why do you get sore joints during menopause?
6. Loss of Libido: What causes it and how to get back on track
7. Natural Remedies for Menopause Symptoms

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Family Health Guide brings you daily news from well-regarded sources such as JAMA, BMJ, Lancet, BMA, Leading Universities, plus articles from our own editorial team. Join the 95,000 people following @famhealthguide

___________________________________________________________________________

More from Dr Kristie McNealy:

1. Alcohol May Protect Women from Alzheimer’s Disease
2. Research Gives Clues to Preventing Postpartum Depression
3. Is Your Birth Control Killing Your Sex Drive?
4. 10 Things You Can Do Now to Help Prevent Alzheimer’s
5. Weight, Diet and Your Granddaughters Breast Cancer Risk
6. Increased Risk of Stillbirth with IVF
7. Vitamin D – A New Miracle Cure?

Learning problems are just one of the many ways that preterm birth can impact a person for a lifetime. In fact, every year in the UK, 3,000 babies die before they reach their first birthday, and prematurity is the single leading cause.

The fight against preterm birth is important. With 1 in 10 babies born in the UK requiring special care at birth because of an early arrival or difficult delivery, and with over 50,000 babies arriving too soon in the UK each year, preterm birth has probably touched your own life in some way. Even if you don’t know a premie, preterm birth really impacts everyone because it consumes tremendous amounts of healthcare resources.

You can help make a difference by signing up to Walk for Tiny Lives now. Walk for Tiny Lives is a series of fundraising walks throughout the UK, sponsored by Action Medical Research, an organization that conducts research on preventing preterm birth.

You can sign up for an existing walk or start your own. Either way, you are working to help moms have healthy pregnancies and healthy babies.

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References:

1. Sacher, J et al. Elevated Brain Monoamine Oxidase A Binding in the Early Postpartum Period Archives of General Psychiatry 67(5):468-474 (2010)

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Family Health Guide brings you daily news from well-regarded sources such as JAMA, BMJ, Lancet, BMA, Leading Universities, plus articles from our own editorial team. Join the 95,000 people following @famhealthguide

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More from Dr Kristie McNealy:

1. Is Your Birth Control Killing Your Sex Drive?
2. 10 Things You Can Do Now to Help Prevent Alzheimer’s
3. Weight, Diet and Your Granddaughters Breast Cancer Risk
4. Increased Risk of Stillbirth with IVF
5. Vitamin D – A New Miracle Cure?

We know that a woman’s estrogen level plummets 100 to 1,000 fold within a fews days after giving birth.  We also know that decreases in estrogen cause increases in the levels of an important enzyme in the brain, monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A).  What we didn’t know is exactly how the rapid fall of estrogen levels after birth impacts levels of MAO-A in the brains of postpartum women.

A new neuroimaging study which looked at the distribution of MAO-A throughout the brains of woman 4-6 days postpartum, found that on average, women who were postpartum had 43% higher MAO-A levels than women who had not recently been postpartum.

MAO-A is an enzyme responsible for breaking down the neurotransmitters serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine. These neurotransmitters influence our mood, and when they are too low we feel sad and can become depressed.

The high levels of MAO-A found in this study can explain the sad mood many mothers feel shortly after giving birth.  It shows that there is a physiological reason why women are at such a high risk for developing depression after having a baby, and gives doctors and researchers a lead on possible ways to use medications to prevent PPD.

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References:

1. Sacher, J et al. Elevated Brain Monoamine Oxidase A Binding in the Early Postpartum Period Archives of General Psychiatry 67(5):468-474 (2010)

__________________________________________________________________________

Family Health Guide brings you daily news from well-regarded sources such as JAMA, BMJ, Lancet, BMA, Leading Universities, plus articles from our own editorial team. Join the 95,000 people following @famhealthguide

___________________________________________________________________________

More from Dr Kristie McNealy:

1. Is Your Birth Control Killing Your Sex Drive?
2. 10 Things You Can Do Now to Help Prevent Alzheimer’s
3. Weight, Diet and Your Granddaughters Breast Cancer Risk
4. Increased Risk of Stillbirth with IVF
5. Vitamin D – A New Miracle Cure?

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:

1. 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:

1. Is Your Birth Control Killing Your Sex Drive?
2. 10 Things You Can Do Now to Help Prevent Alzheimer’s
3. Weight, Diet and Your Granddaughters Breast Cancer Risk
4. Increased Risk of Stillbirth with IVF
5. Vitamin D – A New Miracle Cure?

The study compared a single dose of targeted intraoperative radiation to traditional external beam radiotherapy of the whole breast in women with invasive ductal breast carcinoma undergoing breast-conserving surgery.  Traditionally, these women have been treated with several weeks worth of radiation therapy to the whole breast after surgery to remove their tumors.  However, we know that most recurrences occur very close to the original tumor, which opened the door to exploring more targeted radiation therapy.

Researchers found no significant difference in the rate of tumor recurrence between the two groups of patients.  In addition, women who got a single dose of radiation during their surgery had less side effects from their radiation treatment.

This study is exciting on a number of levels.  Because the radiation is given to a smaller, more targeted area of the body, it means that sensitive structures like the heart and lungs are less likely to be damaged.  It also simplifies treatment, making it easier for patients because surgery and radiation can be completed in one brief hospital visit, instead of stretching out over weeks.  In addition to appearing to be safer and easier for patients, it also saves precious healthcare dollars and frees up time in radiation therapy departments to serve more patients, more quickly.

Study researchers stress that these results are only applicable to women with a profile similar to those in TARGIT-A:

• Women aged 45 years or more
• Women with early invasive breast cancer
• Women who are good candidates for breast conserving surgery
• 82% of the patients were less than 70 years of age

While data from long-term follow-up and the results of another randomized trial from the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project B-39 are still needed, researchers feel that a single intraoperative dose is already the best choice for elderly breast cancer patients.

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References:

1. Vaidya, J et al.  Targeted intraoperative radiotherapy versus whole breast radiotherapy for breast cancer (TARGIT-A trial): an international, prospective, randomised, non-inferiority phase 3 trial.  The Lancet Published Online June 5, 2010.  DOI:10.1016/S0140-6736(10)60837-9

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More from Dr Kristie McNealy:

1. Is Your Birth Control Killing Your Sex Drive?
2. 10 Things You Can Do Now to Help Prevent Alzheimer’s
3. Weight, Diet and Your Granddaughters Breast Cancer Risk
4. Increased Risk of Stillbirth with IVF
5. Vitamin D – A New Miracle Cure?

The study out of Spain compared the smoking and alcohol consumption habits of people with Alzheimers disease to their unaffected relatives.  Surprisingly (to me) researchers found that smoking alone had no impact on Alzheimers disease risk.  On the other hand, people who consumed alcohol had a lower risk of Alzheimers disease than people who had never had a drink.

In fact, in women, the Alzheimers disease risk was inversely proportional to the amount of alcohol consumed and the length of time consuming alcohol.  In other words, women who drank more, or had been drinking alcohol longer had lower AD risk.  The biggest decrease in AD risk was seen in  non-smoking women who consumed alcohol.

The results of this study indicate a need to further investigate the interaction between gender, smoking and alcohol consumption in the development of Alzheimers.  While alcohol may reduce the risk of developing AD, excessive alcohol consumption can have numerous negative impacts on your health, including serious liver disease and nutritional problems.  As with most things in life, moderation is key!

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References:

1. García, A et al. Isolated and joint effects of tobacco and alcohol consumption on risk of Alzheimer’s disease. J Alzheimers Dis 20:2 (May 2010), p 577-586.

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Related Articles

10 Things You Can Do Now to Help Prevent Alzheimer’s: Alzheimer’s is among the most dreaded diseases of aging.  Cognitive decline… read more

Caffeine May Reverse Memory Problems seen in Alzheimer’s: New research out of the US provides evidence that coffee may reverse memory problems seen in Alzheimer’s disease… read more

Exercise and Mediterranean-type diet combined lower risk for Alzheimer’s: Findings of observational study warrant further research in controlled clinical trial to clarify… read more

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More from Dr Kristie McNealy:

1. Is Your Birth Control Killing Your Sex Drive?
2. 10 Things You Can Do Now to Help Prevent Alzheimer’s
3. Weight, Diet and Your Granddaughters Breast Cancer Risk
4. Increased Risk of Stillbirth with IVF
5. Vitamin D – A New Miracle Cure?

Pregnant women are being urged to avoid canned food in the wake of two new studies on an estrogen-like chemical called BPA, or bisphenol A.

A study carried out by the National Work Group for Safe Markets, a coalition of public health and environmental health groups, found BPA in 92% of canned foods tested from 19 US states.  The canned foods tested included brand name fish, fruits, vegetables, beans, soups, tomato products, sodas, and milks.  The study found higher levels of BPA in food from BPA lined cans than had previously been measured, including a can of DelMonte green beans which had the highest levels of BPA ever found in canned food, at 1,140 parts per billion.

Another study recently accepted for publication by the journal Hormones and Cancer, found that prenatal exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals, like bisphenol A, may increase a woman’s risk of breast cancer.  Researchers exposed pregnant mice to BPA, and then studied their offspring.  In adulthood, the offspring who had prenatal BPA exposure had increased levels of EZH2 in their breast tissue.  In humans, EZH2 levels are associated with an increased risk of breast cancer.

BPA is an endocrine-disrupting chemical, which means it interferes with the body’s normal balance of hormones.  While BPA is banned in certain childrens’ products in Canada and Denmark and five U.S. States, it is still prevalent as a coating inside cans.  Groups are calling for a ban on the use of BPA in food containers.  In the meantime, the new evidence that prenantal BPA exposure may have lifelong health consequences, and the prevalence of BPA in canned goods has lead some health experts to recommend that pregnant women avoid consuming canned foods.

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Stay up to date on Women’s Health issues with Dr Kristie McNealy: RSS , Email Newsletter, Twitter

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References:

1. National Workgroup for Safe Markets.  No Silver Lining: An Investigation into Bisphenol A in Canned Foods. May 2010.  http://ej4all.org/contaminatedwithoutconsent/downloads/NoSilverLining-Report.pdf Accessed May 24, 2010.
2. Doherty L et al.  In Utero Exposure to Diethylstilbestrol (DES) or Bisphenol-A (BPA) Increases EZH2 Expression in the Mammary Gland: An Epigenetic Mechanism Linking Endocrine Disruptors to Breast Cancer.  Hormones and Cancer. DOI: 10.1007/s12672-010-0015-9

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More from Dr Kristie McNealy:

1. Is Your Birth Control Killing Your Sex Drive?
2. 10 Things You Can Do Now to Help Prevent Alzheimer’s
3. Weight, Diet and Your Granddaughters Breast Cancer Risk
4. Increased Risk of Stillbirth with IVF
5. Vitamin D – A New Miracle Cure?

For years, obese people have been counseled that gradual weight loss is better, but in reality, the data on the subject has been mixed.  A recent study published online in the International Journal of Behavioral Medicine provides more evidence that rapid initial weight loss may actually be best.

The study followed 262 middle-aged obese women who were part of the Treatment of Obesity in Underserved Rural Settings (TOURS) trial.  The women took part in a a six-month lifestyle program, and spent an additional year in an extended care program involving group sessions, telephone contact or newsletters.

Researchers analyzed the data by dividing the women into three groups according to how quickly they lost weight.  They then examined their weight loss from 6-18 months after the 6-month lifestyle program – the time they were involved in the extended care program.

Interestingly, fast weight losers lost more weight overall, maintained their weight loss for longer and were not more likely to put weight back on than the more gradual weight losers. Women in the slow weight loss group fared the worst, with women in the moderate group being almost three times more likely to achieve 10% weight loss after 18 months, and women in the fast group  being 5 times more likely to reach this goal.

The study results indicate that obese women who want to lose weight should dive right in and make big lifestyle changes up front.  Getting a quick start will not make them more likely to make their weight yo-yo up and down as is often feared.

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Reference:

1. Nackers LM et al. The association between rate of initial weight loss and long-term success in obesity treatment: does slow and steady win the race? International Journal of Behavioral Medicine. May 2010. DOI 10.1007/s12529-010-9092-y

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More from Dr Kristie McNealy:

1. Is Your Birth Control Killing Your Sex Drive?
2. 10 Things You Can Do Now to Help Prevent Alzheimer’s
3. Weight, Diet and Your Granddaughters Breast Cancer Risk
4. Increased Risk of Stillbirth with IVF
5. Vitamin D – A New Miracle Cure?

Bacterial infection has long been linked with preterm and still births, but until relatively recently we assumed that the infections came from the vaginal tract.  Over the past few years, studies have linked periodontal disease to preterm birth.  Now New evidence suggests that even mom’s with healthy mouths are at risk.

Researchers injected pregnant mice with samples of human saliva and gingival plaque, and found that certain bacteria found in the samples were able to grow within the placenta.  This bacteria can cause an inflammatory reaction in the placenta which can lead to a variety of problems.  The bacteria isolated from the placenta included normal oral bacteria like Streptococcus, Leptotricia, Fusobacterium nucleatum and Veillenella.  This research is interesting because it shows that even women with good oral hygiene may be at risk of these potentially dangerous infections if they get a cut or inflammation in their mouth that allows oral bacteria to enter their blood stream.

While maintaining good oral hygiene is always a good idea, this study raises many questions in my mind.  If the results of this study are reproducible, I’m curious to see how it will impact oral care guidelines for pregnant women.  I know with my last two pregnancies, my health care provider said she recommended that all her patients have a dental cleaning early in the second trimester, after morning sickness subsided.  I also know that some dental hygienists are rougher or more aggressive than others while doing routine cleanings.  If a cut in an otherwise healthy mouth could introduce bacteria that were potentially harmful to the placenta into the bloodstream, it seems like getting your teeth cleaned or other non-emergent dental work done during pregnancy might not really be the best idea.

I’ll definitely be waiting to hear more reactions to this study and any follow up work that is done.

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Stay up to date on Women’s Health issues with Dr Kristie McNealy: RSS , Email Newsletter, Twitter

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Reference:

1. Sardini et al. Transmission of Diverse Oral Bacteria to Murine Placenta: Evidence for the Oral Microbiome as a Potential Source of Intrauterine Infection.  Infection and Immunity, April 2010, p. 1789-1796, Vol. 78, No. 4.  doi:10.1128/IAI.01395-09

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More from Dr Kristie McNealy:

• 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?