News of Interest to Moms October 2, 2009

News to know:


Swine flu spreading widely; worry over pregnant women
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) said swine flu has spread across the country.
There is also concern for pregnant women. As of late August, 100 pregnant women have been hospitalized in intensive care, and 28 have died since the beginning of the outbreak in April.

Over half of today's babies expected to live past 100
More than half of all babies born in industrialized nations since the year 2000 can expect to live to be 100, according to a study published in The Lancet.

The study's lead researcher said increases in longevity will come from continuing to improve lifestyle at older ages. The aging population will also likely be a more vibrant population, with a higher quality of life than people of that age now.

Mom, babies benefit from treating pregnancy-related diabetes
Women who develop a mild case of gestational diabetes during pregnancy tend to have fewer complications and healthier babies if the diabetes is treated,according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Gestational diabetes can be treated with dietary restrictions, the oral drug metformin, or insulin injections. Some medical practitioners choose not to treat mild cases of gestational diabetes.
The study showed that women were half as likely to have larger-than-normal babies if they were treated. Fourteen percent of women who weren't treated had a baby that weighed more than 8 pounds, 13 ounces, compared with only six percent who were treated.

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