Premature births lower in women taking folic acidWomen who take folic acid supplements for at least a year before becoming pregnant can greatly reduce their risk of delivering a baby prematurely. Folic acid, a B vitamin, already is known to prevent major birth defects that involve a baby’s brain or spine. This study shows it may provide another benefit-cutting down on premature births. Preemies in particular face a high risk of cerebral palsy, mental retardation, chronic lung disease and blindness. Women taking folic acid for at least a year before getting pregnant saw their risk fall by about 50 per cent for premature births, said researchers from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, at a meeting of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine in Dallas. ZERO TO 20Meningitis shot boosts immunity in infants A new type of meningitis vaccine boosted the immunity of infants six months old, offers a new weapon against this deadly disease, reports a new British research published in Journal of the American Medical Association. The vaccine, made by Swiss drugmaker Novartis AG, is aimed at four of the most common strains of meningococcal meningitis, a potentially fatal bacterial disease involving inflammation of membranes around the brain and spinal cord. It primarily affects babies particularly those aged 3 to 12 months. 20 TO 50Second-hand smoke harm assessed in cystic fibrosis Second-hand smoke worsens lung function in people with cystic fibrosis, especially those with a specific gene, reported researchers from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore. Genetic and environmental factors can interact to harm lung function in cystic fibrosis patients, said the report published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Cystic fibrosis is an inherited chronic disease that causes thick, sticky mucus to build up, leading to life-threatening lung infections and major digestion problems. 50 AND ABOVECancer treatment may also help osteoporosisA drug used to treat bone marrow cancer may also help treat osteoporosis by stimulating stem cells. US researchers found that Velcade, used to treat multiple myeloma, activated stem cells that differentiate into bone. Tests in mice showed it apparently helps regenerate bone tissue and be may be a potential treatment for osteoporosis, a team at Massachusetts General Hospital and the Harvard Stem Cell Institute reported in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.
