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Dairy product tie to having twins |
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New research suggests that a diet high in dairy products can greatly increase a woman's chances of having twins. A study in the Journal of Reproductive Medicine showed milk drinkers were five times more likely to have twins than women who ate no animal products. The numbers of twins in the world has increased significantly in the past 30 years, in some countries by over 50%. Scientists have suggested fertility treatments and women delaying pregnancy can help explain the rise. But this new research indicates that diet can also play an important part. Ovaries stimulated In the study, the twinning rates of women who ate a diet including milk were compared with women who followed a vegan, or no animal products diet. It is believed that a protein found in the livers of animals may be the cause. Called Insulin-like Growth Factor or IGF, it is found in cow's milk and other animal products. In women it makes the ovaries more sensitive and increases the number of eggs produced. Higher levels of IGF improve the survival chances of an embryo in the early stages of development. The effect is likely to be greater in countries such as the United States that allow growth hormones to be fed to cattle. The researcher behind this study says that women thinking of getting pregnant might consider alternatives to meat and dairy products to reduce their chances of having twins, as multiple births are more prone to complications. |
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TUESDAY, May 9 -- The hospital care of alcohol abuse-related problems in the United States involved nearly 210,000 patients in 2003 at a total cost of about $2 billion, concludes a report by the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
Other findings in the report:
More information
The U.S. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism has more about alcohol abuse and alcoholism.
-- Sickle cell disease is an inherited condition that's often characterized by oddly shaped red blood cells. Their crescent shape, caused by an abnormal type of hemoglobin, can hinder these cells as they pass through small blood vessels.
This lack of blood flow often damages bodily organs and tissues.
Early diagnosis and preventive measures -- including folic acid supplements and vaccination against a contributing bacterium -- can help treat the condition, the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America says.
While blood transfusions can help prevent complications like stroke, transfusions can also lead to iron buildup in the blood, which may require its own treatment.
