Rates of Caesarean section range from one in eight mothers in one hospital to almost one in four in others. Breast-feeding rates range from 20 per cent to 54 per cent of mothers. This is just some of the valuable information in Preparing Together for Birth and Beyond - a Consumer Guide to the Maternity Services in Ireland. Produced by Cuidiu, the Irish Childbirth Trust, the guide outlines the services offered by each of the 24 maternity units and by independent home birth midwives. It is available by post, at a cost of £3, from Cuidiu, Carmichael House, North Brunswick Street, Dublin 7 (01-8724501).
COD liver oil eases the pain of arthritis by mimicking the effects of aspirin, according to researchers at Cardiff University. The fish oil is rich in omega-3 fatty acids which inhibit a key inflammatory enzyme called cox-2. The latter is thought to cause much of the swelling and pain in arthritis. Anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin also have this property. The omega-3 fatty acids also cut the activity of proteolytic enzymes which attack cartilage. "The key now is to find which fish oil works best," says researcher, Bruce Caterson. (New Scientist)
Researchers at the Sophia Children's Hospital in Rotterdam in the Netherlands, have developed a blood test which can predict the development of childhood diabetes with at least 50 per cent reliability. The new test measures the concentration of antibodies which are present in four out of five patients with juvenile diabetes. The test will make it easier to study the development of juvenile diabetes and to identify people in possible need of preventive treatment. Meanwhile, in Ireland, an educational video on juvenile diabetes has just been launched. It will be available in primary schools, diabetes clinics and other youth organisations. Contact the Diabetes Federation of Ireland, 76 Lower Gardiner Street, Dublin 1 (01-8363022).
AN APPLE a day can help you breathe better, according to the latest research from St George's Hospital Medical School, London. The study looked at the diets and lung function of more than 2,500 men aged between 45 and 49. They found that good lung function was associated with high intakes of vitamins C and E,beta-carotene, citrus fruits, apples and fruit juices. However, after they took into consideration factors such as body mass, smoking history and exercise, the only food that seemed to make a significant difference was apples. (BBC Health News)
A PUBLIC health specialist with the North Eastern Health Board has advised people over 65 and those with chronic lung, heart, kidney or liver disease to get vaccinated against the pneumococcus bug. "The pneumococcus is the most common cause of pneumonia in Ireland and can also lead to overwhelming infections of the blood, heart, joints and gut. Pneumococcal infections often follow flu and can worsen heart disease, lung disease and diabetes," says Dr Declan Bedford. The pneomococcal vaccine is available from GPs and is free to medical card holders.
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