Category: Health

Family courts step in at some of the hardest moments in a child’s life, when parents separate or when there are concerns about their safety. We already know that children involved in care proceedings are more likely to self-harm. But most children who come into contact with family courts are there because of disputes between […]

MVelishchuk/Shutterstock Pfas, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of human-made chemicals found in everything from food packaging to firefighting foam. Often called “forever chemicals” due to their persistence in the environment, they can affect our health and disrupt our immune system. Pfas cross the placenta, so that when a woman is pregnant, she […]

Our bodies are a living archive of evolution. ZCOOL HelloRF/ Shutterstock The human body is often described as a marvel of “perfect design”: elegant, efficient and finely tuned for its purpose. Yet, when we look closer, a rather different picture emerges. Far from being a flawless machine, the body reads more like a patchwork of […]

A meningitis outbreak in Kent has been caused by a strain of bacteria that appears to be genetically distinct from anything scientists have seen before. Health officials are working urgently to understand what that means. As of March 23, 23 young people have been confirmed as cases or considered probable cases of invasive meningococcal disease […]

Ray Geiger/Shutterstock.com When Lady Gaga recently spoke in an interview about taking lithium while suffering from a “psychotic break”, it drew attention to a drug that has long been used in psychiatry but is less widely understood outside it. Lithium has been used in psychiatric care for more than 70 years, most notably to treat […]

A father's health can affect both pregnancy outcomes and the infant's health. muse studio/ Shutterstock When we think about preparing for a healthy pregnancy and baby, most advice focuses on women. Such advice might include good nutrition, taking dietary supplements, avoiding alcohol or smoking and managing their medications and health conditions. But growing evidence shows […]

Reshetnikov_art/Shutterstock Childbirth is often framed as a choice between two extremes: “natural” birth or medical intervention. The real challenge is making sure women can decide how they give birth, without pressure in either direction. Debates about childbirth often focus on pressure to accept medical interventions in hospital, such as caesareans or forceps delivery. But recent […]

Alzheimer's disease is one of the most well-known types of dementia. Yuriy Golub/ Shutterstock What most people think of when they hear the word “dementia” is memory problems and forgetfulness. But what people often don’t know is that dementia can cause many different symptoms – affecting speech, behaviour, sleep, motor function and more. In fact, […]

Andrey Popov/Shutterstock Women’s HRT patches can treat prostate cancer just as effectively as standard hormone injections – but with fewer of the worst side-effects – according to a large UK trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The finding could change how men with prostate cancer that has spread beyond the gland are […]

Cold pizza, a favourite for many, could be risky if it hasn't been stored properly. Monkey Business Images/ Shutterstock There are few things better than a cold slice of pizza for breakfast. But as delicious as scarfing down cold pizza is, there’s also a risk of food poisoning if you aren’t careful. Food poisoning is […]