Dr. Howard Smith Reports

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/NPBkkWqpwwI

Pregnant women with long work commutes may are more likely to experience a slow fetal growth rate and to deliver a low birth weight baby.  Health economists at Lehigh University drew this conclusion from New Jersey birth records and information about the lengths of the  associated maternal commutes.

Each 10 miles of commuting distance over a 50 mile threshold increased the probability of intrauterine growth restriction by 43% and the probability of a low birth weight infant by 14%.  The increased risk was calculated using control mothers with a 10 mile or less commute.   So women commuting 80 miles a day would have a 42% higher risk of giving birth to a low birth weight infant.

The researchers found that the adverse affects on the fetus occur due to commute-induced chronic maternal stress and, of even more importance, less prenatal care due to limited time.   Many of the women with long commutes had delayed prenatal care or none at all.

This information suggests that pregnant women with long commutes should consider telecommuting during their pregnancies and looking for work closer to home.  Once the baby arrives, time with family will become even more precious. If you are in the car on a long commute, you are also paying even more for child care.

Yang Wang, Muzhe Yang. Long Commutes to Work during Pregnancy and Infant Health at Birth. Economics & Human Biology, 2019; DOI: 10.1016/j.ehb.2019.03.006

#commuting #lowbirthweight #intrauterinegrowth #stress #prenatalcare

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/NPBkkWqpwwI

Pregnant women with long work commutes may are more likely to experience a slow fetal growth rate and to deliver a low birth weight baby.  Health economists at Lehigh University drew this conclusion from New Jersey birth records and information about the lengths of the  associated maternal commutes.

Each 10 miles of commuting distance over a 50 mile threshold increased the probability of intrauterine growth restriction by 43% and the probability of a low birth weight infant by 14%.  The increased risk was calculated using control mothers with a 10 mile or less commute.   So women commuting 80 miles a day would have a 42% higher risk of giving birth to a low birth weight infant.

The researchers found that the adverse affects on the fetus occur due to commute-induced chronic maternal stress and, of even more importance, less prenatal care due to limited time.   Many of the women with long commutes had delayed prenatal care or none at all.

This information suggests that pregnant women with long commutes should consider telecommuting during their pregnancies and looking for work closer to home.  Once the baby arrives, time with family will become even more precious. If you are in the car on a long commute, you are also paying even more for child care.

Yang Wang, Muzhe Yang. Long Commutes to Work during Pregnancy and Infant Health at Birth. Economics & Human Biology, 2019; DOI: 10.1016/j.ehb.2019.03.006

#commuting #lowbirthweight #intrauterinegrowth #stress #prenatalcare

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/zwMQ2lSmOYI

Contigo has voluntarily recalled its kids cleanable water bottle.  The clear silicone spout on the bottle may detach and create a choking hazard.  Stop using this product and call the company at 1-888-262-0622

https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2020/contigo-reannounces-recall-of-5-7-million-kids-water-bottles-due-to-choking-hazard

#recall #contigo #waterbottle #choking

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/zwMQ2lSmOYI

Contigo has voluntarily recalled its kids cleanable water bottle.  The clear silicone spout on the bottle may detach and create a choking hazard.  Stop using this product and call the company at 1-888-262-0622

https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2020/contigo-reannounces-recall-of-5-7-million-kids-water-bottles-due-to-choking-hazard

#recall #contigo #waterbottle #choking

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/jpybQ3Mv85A

Fatalities associated with infants sleeping inclined has led to recall of all such devices that facilitate inclined sleeping.  This is one of them.

Parents should stop using the inclined sleeper accessory and contact the company for a refund or gift voucher.  Go on www.kolcraft.com or call 1-800-453-7673.

https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2020/kolcraft-recalls-inclined-sleeper-accessory-included-with-cuddle-n-care-and-preferred

#recall #kolcraft #bassinet #inclinesleeper

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/jpybQ3Mv85A

Fatalities associated with infants sleeping inclined has led to recall of all such devices that facilitate inclined sleeping.  This is one of them.

Parents should stop using the inclined sleeper accessory and contact the company for a refund or gift voucher.  Go on www.kolcraft.com or call 1-800-453-7673.

https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2020/kolcraft-recalls-inclined-sleeper-accessory-included-with-cuddle-n-care-and-preferred

#recall #kolcraft #bassinet #inclinesleeper

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/m5ov84m4rOw

This holster has a design flaw that allows the safety latch on the weapon to be accidentally disabled.  The weapon can then fire indiscriminately with disaster outs results.  

This holster is designed to carry the Browning 1911-380 and 1911-22 pistols.

Stop using this holster and call the company at 1-800-945-5372 to obtain a replacement.

https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2020/browning-recalls-pistol-holsters-due-to-injury-hazard

#recall #browning #holster #pistol

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/m5ov84m4rOw

This holster has a design flaw that allows the safety latch on the weapon to be accidentally disabled.  The weapon can then fire indiscriminately with disaster outs results.  

This holster is designed to carry the Browning 1911-380 and 1911-22 pistols.

Stop using this holster and call the company at 1-800-945-5372 to obtain a replacement.

https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2020/browning-recalls-pistol-holsters-due-to-injury-hazard

#recall #browning #holster #pistol

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/WH-Mgs6TIWo

Macrolide antibiotics like erythromycin, Zithromax, and clarithromycin, if taken during the first trimester, can trigger major cardiovascular malformations in a baby.  A just published British study reviewed a national database of 100,000 children.

Those women who took one course of macrolide antibiotic during their first 3 months of pregnancy were 1.5 times more likely to have fetal heart malformations and 1.6 times more likely to have genital problems when compared to those prescribed penicillin antibiotics.  Although macrolides produced  no increased risk for heart problems later in pregnancy, risk of genital malformations remained.

If you’re pregnant, avoid all medications during the first trimester but these macrolide antibiotics until after you deliver. 

Fan Heng, Gilbert Ruth, O’Callaghan Finbar, Li Leah. Associations between macrolide antibiotics prescribing during pregnancy and adverse child outcomes in the UK: population based cohort study BMJ 2020; 368 :m331. doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m331

Goldstein LH1, Berlin M, Tsur L, Bortnik O, Binyamini L, Berkovitch M.  The safety of macrolides during lactation.  Breastfeed Med. 2009 Dec;4(4):197-200. doi: 10.1089/bfm.2008.0135.   DOI: 10.1089/bfm.2008.0135

#macrolide #antibiotic #birthdefects #heart #genital

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/WH-Mgs6TIWo

Macrolide antibiotics like erythromycin, Zithromax, and clarithromycin, if taken during the first trimester, can trigger major cardiovascular malformations in a baby.  A just published British study reviewed a national database of 100,000 children.

Those women who took one course of macrolide antibiotic during their first 3 months of pregnancy were 1.5 times more likely to have fetal heart malformations and 1.6 times more likely to have genital problems when compared to those prescribed penicillin antibiotics.  Although macrolides produced  no increased risk for heart problems later in pregnancy, risk of genital malformations remained.

If you’re pregnant, avoid all medications during the first trimester but these macrolide antibiotics until after you deliver. 

Fan Heng, Gilbert Ruth, O’Callaghan Finbar, Li Leah. Associations between macrolide antibiotics prescribing during pregnancy and adverse child outcomes in the UK: population based cohort study BMJ 2020; 368 :m331. doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m331

Goldstein LH1, Berlin M, Tsur L, Bortnik O, Binyamini L, Berkovitch M.  The safety of macrolides during lactation.  Breastfeed Med. 2009 Dec;4(4):197-200. doi: 10.1089/bfm.2008.0135.   DOI: 10.1089/bfm.2008.0135

#macrolide #antibiotic #birthdefects #heart #genital