Birth weight

PFAS ‘forever chemicals’: Why EPA set federal drinking water limits for these health-harming contaminants

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, April 10, 2024
Research, GxP, Toxicity, Health, Obesity, PFNA, Liver, Gore-Tex, 3M, PFAS, PFOS, Environment, Name, Risk, Food packaging, Fertility, PFOA, Pregnancy, Life, Diet, Thyroid disease, EPA, Agency, National academy, Water, Kidney, Breast cancer, Scotchgard, Inflammatory bowel disease, Birth weight, Cosmetics, Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid, Vaccine, Soil, Family, Map, Drinking water, Pre-eclampsia, Poison

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency now believes there is no safe level for two common PFAS – PFOA and PFOS – in drinking water, and it acknowledges that very low concentrations of other PFAS present human health risks.

Key Points: 
  • The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency now believes there is no safe level for two common PFAS – PFOA and PFOS – in drinking water, and it acknowledges that very low concentrations of other PFAS present human health risks.
  • The agency issued the first legally enforceable national drinking water standards for five common types of PFAS chemicals, as well as PFAS mixtures, on April 10, 2024.

What exactly are PFAS?

  • This is a large group of human-made chemicals – currently estimated to be nearly 15,000 individual chemical compounds – that are used widely in consumer products and industry.
  • They can make products resistant to water, grease and stains and protect against fire.
  • The short answer is that PFAS are harmful to human health and the environment.
  • Some of the very same chemical properties that make PFAS attractive in products also mean these chemicals will persist in the environment for generations.
  • The U.S. Geological Survey estimates common types of PFAS are now in at least 45% of the country’s tap water.

What are the health risks from PFAS exposure?

  • Research consistently demonstrates that PFAS are associated with a variety of adverse health effects.
  • A review by a panel of experts looking at research on PFAS toxicity concluded with a high degree of certainty that PFAS contribute to thyroid disease, elevated cholesterol, liver damage, and kidney and testicular cancer.
  • Additionally, current research suggests that babies exposed prenatally are at higher risk of experiencing obesity, early-onset puberty and reduced fertility later in life.
  • Collectively, this is a formidable list of diseases and disorders.

Who’s regulating PFAS?

  • DuPont called it Teflon, which eventually became a household name for its use on nonstick pans.
  • Decades later, in 1998, Scotchgard maker 3M notified the Environmental Protection Agency that a PFAS chemical was showing up in human blood samples.
  • At the time, 3M said low levels of the manufactured chemical had been detected in people’s blood as early as the 1970s.
  • The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry has a toxicological profile for PFAS.

How can you reduce your PFAS exposure?

  • The best ways to protect yourself and your family from risks associated with PFAS are to educate yourself about potential sources of exposure.
  • Products labeled as water- or stain-resistant have a good chance of containing PFAS.
  • Strategies for monitoring and reporting PFAS contamination vary by location and PFAS source, so the absence of readily available information does not necessarily mean the region is free of PFAS problems.


Kathryn Crawford receives funding from National Institutes of Health and US Geological Survey.

First PFAS "Forever Chemicals" Consumer-Initiated Blood Test with Physician Consult Launches on questhealth.com

Retrieved on: 
Monday, February 12, 2024
Water supply, Physician, Orthostatic hypertension, B2B, Poison, Doctor of Pharmacy, Agency, Vaccine, Risk, Health, National academy, Firefighter, History, Quest Diagnostics, Organization, PFAS, Pre-eclampsia, Patient, Toxicology, Kidney, Science, CDC, DGX, Birth weight, Environment, Cosmetics

"Our PFAS blood test is based on the latest science and aligns with several facets of new CDC guidance as well as recommendations from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

Key Points: 
  • "Our PFAS blood test is based on the latest science and aligns with several facets of new CDC guidance as well as recommendations from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.
  • Not everyone needs a PFAS test, but people at high risk of elevated exposure may benefit from greater access to the insights provided by this novel test."
  • It is the first PFAS blood test available as a consumer-initiated test with physician consult to report a sum of PFAS chemicals based on level of health risks identified by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM).
  • The Quest test aligns with several recommendations from NASEM on PFAS testing, including:
    Quantifying levels of several specific PFAS chemicals identified for potential health risks.

Real-World Data on Human Milk-Based Fortification Reveals Limitations of Protocol Designs of Two RCTs

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, February 6, 2024
Growth, Mortality, Bronchopulmonary dysplasia, Hospice and palliative medicine, NEC, Standard of care, BPD, NICU, Disease, Patient, Incidence, Sepsis, RCT, Clinical study design, Isabella Tree, BMBF, Risk, Exclusive, Vulnerable, FAAP, Birth weight, Standard, Necrotizing enterocolitis, Gestational age, Hospital, Dietary supplement

DUARTE, Calif., Feb. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Optimizing nutrition for premature infants remains an important focus in neonatal care. More than 20 peer-reviewed studies of 5,000+ preterm infants demonstrated that, compared to bovine milk-based fortifiers (BMBF), Prolacta Bioscience's human milk-based fortifiers (HMBF) improve growth and development1-7 and provide clinically significant reductions in comorbidities.1,2,8-20 The health benefits from the use of HMBF have also shown significant annual cost savings for hospitals.8 More than 100,000 critically ill and preterm infants have received Prolacta's human milk-based nutritional products.21

Key Points: 
  • While the RCTs were intended to provide a head-to-head comparison between fortifier products, the feeding protocols fundamentally differed.
  • HMBF recommendations for best outcomes regarding the day fortification should begin and the speed at which feeds are advanced were not followed in either study.
  • Given these known risks, randomizing extremely premature infants to day-one fortification with BMBF would unjustly endanger this vulnerable patient population.
  • Extensive real-world data affirm EHMD adoption enables critical health improvements for premature infants and major cost reductions for hospitals.

ANCESTRY LAUNCHES PARENTAL TRAITS INHERITANCE; BRINGING A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF WHICH PARENT'S DNA HAS THE MOST INFLUENCE ON THEIR OFFSPRING'S UNIQUE DNA MAKEUP

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, October 18, 2023
Science, Sneeze, Dance, Birth weight, Hair loss, Muscle fatigue, Hatred, Family, Genetics, Human, Corporation, Personality, Vitamin E, DNA, Male, Ancestor, Eye color, Love, Ancestry.com, Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Animal husbandry, LEHI

AncestryDNA + Traits now includes 43 traits with more planned for the coming months.

Key Points: 
  • AncestryDNA + Traits now includes 43 traits with more planned for the coming months.
  • Whether it's physical traits you can see or behavioral and personality traits you can't, DNA holds even more information than many people realize.
  • Ancestry has the largest consumer DNA network in the world and is a pioneer in consumer DNA.
  • Access to Parental Traits Inheritance* requires an AncestryDNA kit and an Ancestry subscription, including the new AncestryDNA Plus™ subscription available now for $29.99 for 6 months on Ancestry.com.

Wildfire smoke is an increasing threat to Canadians' health

Retrieved on: 
Monday, August 28, 2023
Smoke, COPD, Heart, Air Quality Health Index, Pregnancy, Travel, Asthma, Housing, Birth weight, Diabetes, Life, National Ambient Air Quality Standards, Wildfire, Gas, Air Quality Health Index (Canada), Lung cancer, Fire, Toxicity, Attention, Government, Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Death, School, Climate change, System, Risk, Preterm birth, N95, HEPA, Health, Air pollution, Library, Disease, Coal, Agriculture, Environmental remediation, Personal protective equipment

Air quality in Canada has improved over the past several decades, and Canada’s air is among the cleanest in the world.

Key Points: 
  • Air quality in Canada has improved over the past several decades, and Canada’s air is among the cleanest in the world.
  • But that progress is threatened by smoke from wildfires, which are becoming more frequent and more intense with climate change.
  • Canada’s 2023 wildfire season is the worst on record, with more than 5,800 reported fires and over 15 million hectares burned to date.
  • Wildfire smoke can travel long distances, exposing large populations — both close to and far away from fires — to very high concentrations of pollution.

The health impact of wildfire smoke

    • The toxicity of wildfire smoke also depends on the type of vegetation and burning conditions and may change as the smoke “ages” in the atmosphere.
    • This underscores the need to distinguish the health impacts of wildfire smoke from the impacts of other pollution sources.
    • Evidence linking wildfire smoke with adverse health effects has been accumulating for years and the notion that wildfire smoke is “natural,” and therefore less harmful than other types of air pollution, is not supported by the evidence.
    • The health effects of wildfire smoke likely extend beyond the lungs and heart.

Strategies to protect health

    • But there are strategies that individuals and communities can use to reduce exposure and health risks.
    • Before fires begin, those with chronic conditions can discuss strategies for managing their health with their health-care providers, and ensure access to necessary medications.
    • The Air Quality Health Index and smoke forecasts can help Canadians decide when these strategies are needed.
    • Multiple overlapping strategies are needed to mitigate the health impacts of Canada’s worsening wildfires.

Prolacta Bioscience Applauds Ohio Legislature For Supporting Medicaid Reimbursement For Donor Human Milk-Derived Products

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, July 6, 2023
Hospice and palliative medicine, Milk, ODM, Food, Nutrient, Ohio Department of Agriculture, Birth weight, MD, News, Dairy, Medicaid

DUARTE, Calif., July 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Prolacta Bioscience®, the world's leading hospital provider of 100% human milk-based nutritional products for critically ill, premature infants, today praised the Ohio legislature for passing budget language that would provide Medicaid reimbursement for donor human milk and other donor human milk products in both inpatient and outpatient settings:

Key Points: 
  • DUARTE, Calif., July 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Prolacta Bioscience ®, the world's leading hospital provider of 100% human milk-based nutritional products for critically ill, premature infants, today praised the Ohio legislature for passing budget language that would provide Medicaid reimbursement for donor human milk and other donor human milk products in both inpatient and outpatient settings:
    "The news is a giant win for Ohio's most vulnerable infants.
  • Expanding reimbursement for both donor human milk and other human milk-based products will allow premature babies access to the food and nutrients that they need," said Melinda Elliott, MD, chief medical officer, Prolacta Bioscience.
  • Since 2018, the Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) has provided inpatient and outpatient coverage for donor human milk.
  • Until today, ODM has not provided coverage for donor human milk-derived fortifiers or any other donor human milk products, which has precluded some of the neediest premature infants from consuming an exclusive human milk diet, widely recognized as the best source of nutrition.

Every 2 seconds in the world a baby is born prematurely – report identifies biggest challenges for their survival

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, June 28, 2023
Pregnancy, Food, Violence, Birth weight, Education, Born Too Soon, Stillbirth, Gestational age, Disability, Solution, Parent, Oxygen, Infection, COVID-19, Woman, Place of birth, Death, UN, Preterm birth, Water, Health, Adolescence, Growth, Heat, Climate change, Air pollution, Caregiver, Breast milk, Birth control, Dietary supplement, Pharmaceutical industry, Pig, Nursing

Globally, about one baby in 10 is born too soon – that’s around one baby

Key Points: 
  • Globally, about one baby in 10 is born too soon – that’s around one baby
    every two seconds.
  • In the long term, babies born prematurely may face motor, neurosensory, cognitive and behavioural deficits.
  • A decade ago in 2012, a global coalition of stakeholders launched Born Too Soon: The Global Action Report on Preterm Birth.
  • The report made a case for global action to mitigate the problems of preterm birth.
  • For example, one in 10 extremely preterm babies (born before 28 weeks or seven months) survive in low-income countries.

Key findings

    • Worldwide, 61% of maternal deaths, 51% of stillbirths and 50% of newborn deaths occurred in countries that required UN humanitarian aid in 2023.
    • Surviving newborns from conflict zones are particularly vulnerable to lifelong risks as a result of poor healthcare services.
    • In 2020, 20% of newborn deaths were attributed to air pollution, mostly because of preterm birth.
    • Global inflation rose from 4.7% in 2021 to 8.8% in 2022, creating a global cost of living health crisis.

Recommendations

    • Its recommendations have crucial contextual relevance to Africa, where preterm birth is the leading cause of deaths in babies under a month old.
    • Counting and accounting for preterm births Data availability and quality must improve.
    • This can be done by counting every baby everywhere, including those stillborn, and accurately recording gestational age and birth weight.
    • Countries also need emergency response plans to avoid service interruptions in times of crisis.

Anthem Blue Cross Foundation and Marjaree Mason Center Join Efforts to Reduce Pre-Term Births Among Pregnant Women Exposed to Domestic Violence

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, May 9, 2023
Family, Public Policy, Government, Consumer, Parenting, Children, Baby, Maternity, Law Enforcement, Emergency Services, Healthcare Reform, Other Professional Services, Legal, Insurance, Health Insurance, Foundation, Professional Services, Education, Philanthropy, State, Local, Health, Other Policy Issues, Other Philanthropy, Managed Care, Training, Marjaree Mason Center, Partnership, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Violence, Birth weight, Prenatal care, Domestic violence, Public, Woman, Mother, Vitamin, MMC, Abuse, Public health, Gestational weight gain, Investment, OB, UCSF, Blue Cross, Infant, Trauma, County, Nursing, Birth control, Anthem

Marjaree Mason Center (MMC) received a $400,000 grant from the Anthem Blue Cross Foundation to reduce pre-term birth rates among pregnant women who have experienced domestic violence.

Key Points: 
  • Marjaree Mason Center (MMC) received a $400,000 grant from the Anthem Blue Cross Foundation to reduce pre-term birth rates among pregnant women who have experienced domestic violence.
  • “MMC expresses our heartfelt gratitude to the Anthem Blue Cross Foundation for ensuring that we have the resources to provide holistic care to expectant mothers,” shared Nicole Linder, Marjaree Mason Center CEO.
  • Additionally, it is common for the unborn baby to become an additional target of physical abuse in relationships experiencing domestic violence.
  • To learn more about Anthem Blue Cross Foundation sponsorships and efforts, visit https://elevancehealth.foundation/ .

ByHeart Announces New Data Indicating that its First-of-its-Kind, U.S.-Made Infant Formula Improves Sleep Benefits in Infants, According to Clinical Trial Results

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, May 3, 2023
Nutrition, Birth weight, Life, Digestion, Tryptophan, Parent, Sleep, Clinical trial, Pediatric gastroenterology, Evaporated milk, Coronavirus Scientific Advisory Board, Translation, Breast milk, Protein, Journal, MD, Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Lactoferrin, Blood, Immune system, Infant, Birth control, Dietary supplement

NEW YORK, May 3, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, ByHeart, a next-generation baby nutrition company, announced new data from its clinical trial demonstrating that its infant formula improves sleep benefits in infants. The data collected in the clinical trial established that four-month-old infants who consumed ByHeart's infant formula, at this important time during sleep development, woke up less to feed overnight and slept longer between feeds, compared to infants who consumed another infant formula. These findings build on previously announced ease of digestion and tolerability data published in the Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition. ByHeart's patented protein blend includes lactoferrin and alpha-lactalbumin, the two most abundant proteins in breast milk; the company is the first to include alpha-lactalbumin at breast milk levels in infant formula in the American market. Babies fed ByHeart had significantly fewer spit-ups and softer stools than babies fed another infant formula, and more closely resembled breastfed infants.

Key Points: 
  • The data collected in the clinical trial established that four-month-old infants who consumed ByHeart's infant formula, at this important time during sleep development, woke up less to feed overnight and slept longer between feeds, compared to infants who consumed another infant formula.
  • These findings build on previously announced ease of digestion and tolerability data published in the Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition.
  • Babies fed ByHeart had significantly fewer spit-ups and softer stools than babies fed another infant formula, and more closely resembled breastfed infants.
  • For more detailed information, additional data, and insights from ByHeart's clinical trial study, visit https://byheart.com .

NIH STUDY INVESTIGATES LINK BETWEEN MENTAL HEALTH AND PREGNANCY DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, March 8, 2023
Birth weight, Depression, University, Pregnancy, ECHO, Biophysical environment, Bangladesh Technical Education Board, Research, Infant, Maternal health, Social support, Sympathy, Lifestyle (social sciences), California State University, Dominguez Hills, California State University, Hipwell, COVID-19, Doctor of Philosophy, Birth control, Nursing, Psychological Medicine

Pregnant women who reported receiving more emotional support and engaging in more physical activity before and during the pandemic had lower stress and fewer symptoms of depression.

Key Points: 
  • Pregnant women who reported receiving more emotional support and engaging in more physical activity before and during the pandemic had lower stress and fewer symptoms of depression.
  • The results also showed that the duration of pregnancies during the pandemic were slightly shorter on average, but there was no impact on infant birth weight.
  • "Providing access to emotional support and mental health care during pregnancy and encouraging more physical activity may help to improve maternal health," said Alison Hipwell, PhD, ClinPsyD, an ECHO Program investigator at the University of Pittsburgh.
  • Impact of Sedentary Behavior and Emotional Support on Prenatal Psychological Distress and Birth Outcomes During the COVID-19 Pandemic.