A new study, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, has shown a link between folic acid supplements taken during pregnancy and an increased asthma risk in babies.
This is the first published study in humans to demonstrate that increasing consumption of folic acid during late pregnancy, and specifically supplemental folate, significantly increases the risk of asthma in the unborn child. Public health guidelines
in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia recommend that women consume a supplemental dose of 400lg of folic acid per day in the month preceding and during the first trimester of pregnancy (1-3) to reduce the risk of neural tube defects in children.
Guilt-free girls' night in Leeds
Women across Leeds are set for a real treat next month, thanks to an evening of pampering and pure indulgence being held by Yorkshire-based national heart charity, Heart Research UK.
Love your Heart is a special evening for women looking to enjoy some guilt-free girly time away from the chaos of Christmas preparations. The event will take place at the Marriott Hotel in Leeds on Monday, December 7 between 5 and 9pm and will raise money for pioneering research into heart disease.
Tickets are £10 when bought in advance. For further details please contact, Heart Research UK on 0113 234 7474 or email fundraising@heartresearch.org.uk
State-of-the-art surgery upgrade
Westfield Health has donated thousands of pounds to a top Sheffield charity to bring a state-of-the-art piece of surgical equipment to the city.
Neurocare, which supports the Neurosciences Department at Sheffield's Royal Hallamshire Hospital, wanted to raise £70,000 to purchase a new skull base endoscope, the most advanced of its kind in the world.
Westfield donated a third of the money, totalling £25,000, to the charity which is fast becoming one of the UK's leading centres for neurological care.
At present, doctors operating on a skull base tumour must either open up a patient's face or head or use less sophisticated endoscopes to see up through the patient's nose.
The new innovative endoscope and associated equipment, pioneered in America, is self cleaning, cutting operating times dramatically and increasingthe circumstances in which it can be used.
