6 Things To Understand When Talking About Abortion

Recently, a talk radio host interviewed me about abortion. He asked me repeatedly, "What about these abortions of babies at 8.5 months!" I tried to explain that his question had two misnomers that needed correcting before I could comment further. As this example illustrates, the terminology surrounding abortion can be treacherous. Errors are sometimes due to naiveté; at other times the misuse is intentional. Even medical professionals commonly misuse abortion terminology. Here are some common problems in the lexicon of abortion.
What is abortion?
Abortion is the removal of a fetus or embryo from the uterus prior to the stage of viability. (1) Definitions vary as to the timing of viability, with some using gestational age and others using fetal weight. In general, independent life outside the uterus becomes possible around 23-24 weeks of gestation at the earliest. (2)
"Third-trimester" abortion: an oxymoron
Any termination of pregnancy after viability is not an abortion, according to medical (1) and lay (3) dictionaries. If a pregnancy is terminated at 8.5 months because of fetal anencephaly (no brain), then that obstetric intervention is not an abortion. It might be a labor induction, a hysterotomy (a mini-cesarean delivery), or pregnancy termination, but not an abortion. This fact is not widely appreciated; the medical literature has articles with "third-trimester" abortion in the title. (4)
Abortion opponents have claimed that large numbers of "third-trimester" abortions were being done. In response, investigators at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reviewed all reported pregnancy terminations at 25 weeks and greater in Georgia over a two-year period. (5) Nearly all reports proved to be clerical errors. Three pregnancy terminations were correctly coded: Two were done because of fetal anencephaly, and the indication could not be determined for the third.
"Late-term" abortion: another oxymoron
In obstetrics, "term" delivery means delivery after 260 to 294 days of pregnancy (37-42 weeks from last menstrual period). (6) Thus, "late-term" abortion would be near 42 weeks. As explained above, this is not an abortion. "Late abortion" is imprecise but acceptable language, but "late-term" is a misnomer.
Who resides in the pregnant uterus?
The occupant in the uterus is first an embryo. After its organs have formed (around eight weeks), the embryo becomes a fetus, a status that it holds until birth. Contrary to the talk radio host, the occupant is not a baby, child, or infant. (3) Once a fetus is born, it graduates to one of these designations. Thus, one cannot abort a baby, child, or infant; they do not reside in the uterus.
Some abortion opponents use even stranger terms: the "pre-born" or "unborn." In general, we are characterized by what we are, not by what we are not. I am not designated "post-born" or "pre-deceased." When I die, my status will change to cadaver or corpse. However, calling me a "pre-cadaver" or "un-dead" today would be confusing.
"Partial-birth" abortion: a distinct non-entity
This is a political, not a medical, neologism designed to inflame. The term is not found in medical texts or coding manuals. It was coined by opponents to describe an uncommon procedure for second-trimester abortion, intact dilation and evacuation. A brilliant public relations ploy, the term conflated two diametrically opposed conclusions of pregnancy, birth and abortion, in a single term. (7) Thanks to politicians, a procedure that has been in obstetric texts (6) for centuries has been made illegal, based esthetics and not on safety.
"Pro-life"?
Opponents of abortion are commonly called "pro-life." In my experience as a physician, a more accurate designation would be "pro-birth." Interest in the life of the child (and especially his or her mother) usually dwindles soon thereafter.
Incorrect, misleading, and inflammatory language obfuscates, rather than illuminates, the discussion around abortion. Words matter. We should all choose them carefully.

Cull

Ebola: Osun Osogbo Festival Organisers Warn Outsiders to Stay Away.

Organisers of one of Nigeria’s most famous cultural festivals on Monday said they were warning outsiders to stay away because of fears about Ebola.
Tens of thousands of visitors from Nigeria and abroad were expected at this year’s annual Osun Osogbo festival in the Osogbo, the capital of southwestern Osun state.
But with 12 confirmed cases of the deadly tropical virus in nearby Lagos, including four deaths, state culture and tourism commissioner Ayedun Sikiru Adetona said authorities had introduced curbs on visitors.


“We do not want to entertain any visitor this year during the festival,” he told AFP ahead of the grand finale to the ancient Yoruba festival on Friday.
The Yoruba, who live predominantly in the southwest, are one of Nigeria’s three main ethnic groups along with the Igbo in the east and the Hausa in the north.
“We want only Osogbo residents to attend,” said the commissioner.
“We will be able to entertain or host visitors from Nigeria and from outside the country in the future after we have successfully battled this deadly virus.”
Adetona said the decision was taken as a precautionary measure “to prevent the introduction of the Ebola virus into the state”.
State information commissioner Sunday Akere added that road transport unions and members of the ethnic Yoruba militia group Oodua Peoples Congress had been told not to attend.
Both make up the bulk of the crowds.
“We have launched radio and television jingles to discourage people from attending the event this year. We have also urged hotels in the state not to admit visitors at this time,” said Akere.
Anyone attending the event, which the Yoruba see as a traditional cleansing of the city and reunion with their ancestors, will have to undergo health checks.
That includes temperature testing, hand-washing with sanitiser and more rigorous policing of crowds to minimise bodily contact.
More than 20,000 people attended last year’s festival and more had been predicted to attend this year.
The Osun river goddess is believed to be a deity that aids fertility for couples who drink water from the river.
The festival takes in the Osun Osogbo grove, a sacred forest and UNESCO World Heritage Site on the outskirts of Osogbo dotted with shrines and sculptures in honour of Yoruba deities.

21 Things Introverts Love

1. A long stretch of weekend time with no official plans.

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thewhimsytree.com

I can read my book without constantly checking the clock!

2. When parties are canceled.

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Netflix, here I come!

3. Hanging out all day with only your pet.

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szaboka.hu

ILU, silence.

4. The relief you feel when you don’t have any plans after work.

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reddit.com

5. When you can email or IM a company for customer service instead of calling.

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BAN PHONES.

6. Going to the beach by yourself.

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7. Ignoring your phone for awhile.

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Sometimes you’re just out of the energy to deal with all those texts and emails.

8. …but pretending to text during awkward alone moments at parties.

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realitytvgifs.tumblr.com

THANK YOU SMARTPHONE 4 ALWAYS BEING THERE.

9. When your school project isn’t a group one.

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(image source)

10. Having the hobbies and bedtime of a senior citizen.

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adweekmag.tumblr.com

You’re an old soul, and that’s OK.

11. Shopping alone.

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webdesignfm.com

Because shopping with friends is SO stressful. (They make you more inclined to buy things you don’t need; you’re always worried about who’s bored and who’s having fun; you have to try on everything in front of them.)

12. Having a quiet drink at home with your partner instead of going to a loud bar.

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webdesignfm.com

Because you can actually have a conversation!

13. Driving solo for long periods of time.

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rebloggy.com

You can get so much thinking done and blast whatever kind of music you choose.

14. Recharging after a long stretch of socializing.

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15. Wishing you could actually say this to everyone.

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wearetheintroverts.tumblr.com

16. Turning down annoying invitations.

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17. Actively avoiding icebreaker games, because they’re the WORST.

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vampirecircus.tumblr.com

18. Meeting someone else who hates small talk.

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gifbay.com

“So, how many siblings do you ha — yeah, I can’t do this.”

19. Writing.

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Because it’s so much easier for you to process your thoughts by writing them down than by speaking them.

20. Cherishing your small group of close friends, as opposed to trying to maintain a huge circle of acquaintances.

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plsj.tumblr.com

 source: buzzfeed

20 Christmas Trees That Went Beyond Their Call Of Duty

1. Pac-Man Tree

2. Godzilla

3. Sushi Tree

4. Dalek from Doctor Who Tree

5. Swarovski Tree

6. 8-Bit Tree

7. Bike Tree

8. Lobster Trap Tree

9. Ladder Tree

10. Knick-Knack Wall Tree

11. Neon Light Tree

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Via mrkate.com

12. Teddy Bear Tree

13. Creepy Black Cat Tree

14. Wine Trees

 

15. Antler Tree

16. Shopping Cart Tree

18. Hubcap Tree

19. Glass Tube Tree

20. Heinekin Bottle Tree

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Via recyclart.org

That’s 1,000 bottles, by the way.

source: buzzfeed

Humble-living Connecticut woman surprises town with millions from will

 
Kathleen Magowan lived a frugal life with her twin brother, Robert, in the classic New England town of Simsbury, Conn., until she died in 2011 at age 87, remembered mainly for the 35 years she was a first-grade teacher in the local elementary schools.
But now the town of 23,000 people is buzzing with the news that Magowan had a secret. A big one.
A $6 million one.
Nobody knew Kathleen Magowan was a multimillionaire until her will was finally untangled last month. That's when more than a dozen local institutions discovered they'd been left tens of thousands of dollars — sometimes hundreds of thousands — from her estate.

"Shock. Just shock." That was the reaction of Tara Donohue Willerup, a member of the Simsbury Board of Education, which Magowan left $480,000.
"She's exactly what you'd expect from first grade, you know — she loved the little kids," Willerup said. "That was where she really put her energies, because she built a foundation for them for their education for the rest of their lives."

When Kathleen Magowan asked her lawyer to help her arrange her will, both were shocked to learn that she was worth $6 million. But the biggest surprise was that felt by the neighbors and local charities who received it.

But almost a half-million dollars' worth?
"She was quiet, and you just couldn't believe that she'd have that kind of money to give," Willerup said.
That could be because Magowan herself probably couldn't believe it. Until the end, "she thought she had at that time approximately $40,000," said Lou George, a lawyer whom she asked to help settle her affairs.
As George looked into Magowan's finaces, he found blue-chip stocks like General Motors and General Electric — stocks that kept growing and growing and growing as her family held on to it for more than 50 years.
He found accounts with multiple financial institutions.
He found life insurance policies.
And he found a Quaker Oats box. It was stuffed with war bonds — mostly for $20 and $50 — dating to the 1940s.
"It did not look like a lot of money," George said. But it had been accumulating interest for more than a half-century — so much interest that the paper in the little Quaker Oats box was worth $183,000.
The Magowan twins' father, William, did very well as chief financial officer for an explosives company. They lived modestly and without dependents — neither ever married — and over the decades, they barely touched their inheritance, which Robert managed. In addition to Kathleen's $6 million estate, Robert left almost $4 million more when he died in 2010 at age 85.
"Money was not a priority to her," George said, and once Magowan learned how much she was worth, she was determined to give back "to the organizations and individuals who had helped her along the way or touched her life in some way."

One of those institutions is St. Mary's Catholic Church, whose priest, the Rev. Frank Matera, assumed the pulpit only last year. He'd never even heard of Kathleen Magowan until he was told his parish was getting $374,000 from her estate.
"When I heard that amount, I was just — I was literally astounded," Matera said. "I've never received a gift that large, and very rarely do parishes get a gift that size."
The bequest was "pure grace," he said: "We have to do some kind of building in the future, and this give us the basic start that we will need."
George said Magowan gave him a handwritten piece of paper with directions to distribute her estate. The University of St. Joseph in West Hartford, where she graduated in 1947, got more than $500,000. Her nursing home got $419,000.
And it might not stop there. Just recently, George found a check from Prudential for an account he hadn't previously known about.
So he called the company. It turns out, he said, that "there's an account out there with stock in it that's valued at over $90,000."



source: nbcnews

The Best Kept Secret to Highly Successful Couples

According to Adam Grant, Wharton's most popular and youngest tenured faculty member and the author of Give and Take: A Revolutionary Approach to Success, people fall into one of three distinct categories: givers, matchers and takers. While Grant's book is written for a business audience, its theories provide extraordinary insight into romantic relationships. The category you fall into may well determine the success and happiness of your relationship.
For example, has a romantic relationship ever made you feel like you were not good enough? Have you ever been taken advantage of by a romantic partner? Have you ever felt like you gave everything to someone and ended up completely worn out? Then you may just fall into the "giver" style of romantic partner.
Interestingly, while the giver style may have its drawbacks, givers are also usually the most attractive partners and are more likely to have long-term relationships. A study examining the trait most highly valued in potential romantic partners suggests that both men and women rate kindness as one of their most desired traits. Givers are also most likely to be affectionate, a trait which determines the long-term success of a relationship (as I describe in this article), not to mention their own longevity.
In order to understand where you fit in and how to best navigate your relationships with others, here's a summary of the three styles of romantic partners.
Givers are people whose primary motivation is to take care of others, to make sure others are well, and to contribute to others and society. In a relationship, these are people who are always thinking about gifts for their partner, who take their partners' interests into consideration, and who are always thinking, "What else can I do for you?" They're pretty awesome. As Grant mentions in his book, everyone likes having givers around because they are always happy to contribute and thinking of others. They understand the relationship as an opportunity to give and take care.
Givers often end up thinking that there is something wrong with them when they are unhappy in a relationship. They are the ones who think they are not lovable or good enough because they take personal responsibility for making the relationship work (rather than blaming their partners). They can end up burned out and exhausted from continuously giving if they do not receive the support they need from the relationship.
Matchers tend to keep a balance sheet in a relationship. When matchers give, they do so with an expectation of getting something in return. When they receive something, they feel like they have to give something back. Matchers are the ones who are keeping tabs and view relationships as somewhat like a commercial transaction. They are the ones who are most likely to say something like, "I did this for you, but you didn't do that for me" or "You paid for this, so I'll pay for that."
Takers are just that -- takers. They usually treat people well if and when those people can help them reach their goals. Interestingly, Grant points out that they often appear as the most charming and charismatic people on the surface. They know how to work the crowd and seduce, but under the surface they are actually motivated by self-interest. You can recognize a taker by how poorly they treat people that they believe are of no use to them. You know you're in a relationship with a taker when you feel sucked dry for all you have, whether it's money, affection, time etc. Once the taker has everything they want from you, you may be relegated to the unimportant sphere of their life. Their primary focus is themselves.
So who is most successful and who is least successful?
Grant points out a fascinating fact about who, among these three styles, is happiest and most successful: it is givers. What about those who are least successful? Also the givers! Why? Givers who learn to successfully navigate a world with matchers and takers make out great. Everyone loves givers, trusts them, and supports them when they are in need. So why are givers also the least successful? Because some givers don't know how to navigate that world and, as a consequence, end up getting taken advantage of. If you're a giver, you've been there at least once both professionally and personally.
Imagine a relationship between a giver and a taker? These end up with the giver completely worn out, having perhaps spent their savings, time and energy on someone who keeps demanding more and never or scarcely provides for their partners' needs (unless they do so temporarily because it behooves them at that moment).
What makes a successful giver? Read Adam Grant's book to get his complete lists of tips. One that stood out to me was the idea of being a "giver with awareness." Awareness of what? Be aware that the world has givers, matchers and takers. Watch people's words and actions and you will know who is who. When you navigate romantic relationships, friendships or business partnerships, investigate which category your potential partner belongs to and don't get blown away by first-impressions (as noted above, takers are masters of first-impression charm). Then what? In a non-romantic situation, you can deal with matchers and takers by adopting a matcher-like attitude (I know, hard to do for a giver!). Start speaking in terms of, "Ok, we have an agreement, you do this and in exchange I will do this."
What about in romantic relationships? I conferred with Adam Grant while writing this article and he shared the following tip about long-term love: "In the most successful relationships, both partners are givers. In other words, when a romantic relationship works, matchers and takers are focused on giving. Both partners might be giving in different ways, but they should be willing to support each other without expecting something in return. That said, when things get too far out of balance, I think we all become matchers." Imagine a relationship where both partners are always caring for each other's needs. Where when there is a fight, both are the first to say, "I'm sorry, it was my fault." In which both live their life with their partner's best interest in mind. You better believe that matchers and takers are also looking out for givers so, if you're a giver, be sure you seek one out for yourself too because you deserve it.
If you recognize yourself as a matcher or taker then -- first of all -- congratulations on being so honest with yourself. Of course, because of givers' affectionate and service-oriented qualities, it is also in your best interest to have a partner who is a giver. However, I'd like you to consider two things:
First, givers will never be fully happy unless you support them as they support you. They will eventually feel worn out and perhaps even leave. In a recent study by Amie Gordon at the University of California-Berkeley, those who experienced more gratitude in their relationship also felt closer to their partner, more satisfied with the relationship and tended to engage in more constructive and positive behaviors within the relationship. Ultimately, for a good relationship that benefits you, you will want your partner to be happy and you'll want to support them in return.
Second, as Grant's book clearly outlines, givers are the ones who end up being most successful and happy if they are not taken advantage of. A large amount of research now shows that a lifestyle comprised of kindness and service leads to greater fulfillment as well as health and happiness. If you want to be happy and successful, it therefore behooves you too to be or become a giver.
With the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays coming up, it's a great time to start being a giver! After all, isn't that what love is about?



source: hoffpost

5 Truths About Women, According to Men

A while back I wrote about the "Top 5 Myths That Women STILL Believe About Men." The response from readers was swift and emotional and enlightening. It was fascinating to witness the back and forth between the men (most of whom agreed with me) and women, who seemed reluctant to cede that many of their long-held beliefs about guys were either patently untrue or were watered down by the passage of time.
Well now you get to return the favor. I decided to jot down guys' favorite myths guys believe about women. I'd like you to tell me if we're on the money or not. And please don't tell me that you "can't generalize." Of course you can generalize! We all do it every single day! So here goes.
1. The Best Aphrodisiac Is a Fat Wallet: You want to know what makes a nerdy guy hot? Big bucks. Money is the great equalizer. Women who say it isn't are being terribly disingenuous. I'm not saying it's ALL that matters, but it's a massive game changer. Let's be honest here, okay? Pop superstar Seal is going through a divorce with supermodel Heidi Klum, right? Seal has always hooked up with some of the hottest women around.
Seal is not Mr. Pretty Boy. So, how did he do it? He's got one of the all-time GREAT pick up lines. "Hi, I'm Seal, pop superstar."
Deal sealed.
Not saying he's not a very nice guy. I don't know him. But I am saying that Heidi Klum is far more willing to get to know Seal the pop star than she would be with Seal the Taco Bell Shift Leader. No offense to Taco Bell. Their tacos are delicious.
2. The Green-Eyed Monster Is Welcomed: I didn't want to believe this one, but after having a couple of women shout me down about it, I'm inclined to join the ranks of the believers. Apparently, women really get bothered when their man doesn't get jealous. I was told in no uncertain terms by one young lady, "If I was going out for a night on the town with girlfriends, looking all hot, I'd be a bit annoyed if my guy wasn't a little jealous."
This was a shock to me, since I regard jealousy as an almost useless emotion. But clearly I was mistaken in my attempt to engage in a debate with her as her two friends chimed in with a well-timed, "Me, too!" and an emphatic "Exactly!"
They went on to say that they secretly enjoyed the thought of their man feeling those pangs of jealousy when another guy not-so-slyly checks her out.
Wow. Who knew? I'm now a believer.


3. You Can Take A Woman's "Love Number" and Multiply by 2: This is a funny one. While guys tend to lie about their number of sexual partners by rounding the number up, women tend to fudge the truth by rounding down. They usually justify the figure with various qualifiers like how old they were at the time, how serious the relationship was, how long the encounter actually lasted... and what people will think of her if she gave up the REAL number. But a good rule of thumb is take her number and multiply by two.
4. Bad Boys Are The First Picks: Sure, women say they want nice guys. Women don't want nice guys. For as far back as any guy can remember, the guy who worked hardest at being an a-hole was the guy who had a constant rotation of delightful women. The Bad Boy had all types of women. The nice girls, the not-so-nice girls, the nerdy girls, the sorority girls, the professional women, the shy women -- this guy manages to get them all! And even when ladies realize that this guy is kind of a jerk, they STILL stick it out with him in hopes of "changing him." Does the nice guy stand a chance? Yes, he does. Eventually after "Bad Boy" has drained the trust out of every women he encounters, THOSE women finally settle for the nice guy. And of course there's another way the nice guy can finish first... see myth number 1.


5. Women Cheat Too -- They're Just BETTER At It: Women are simply more skilled at this game than men. Part of it has to do with their ability to plan and plot their covert encounters and part of it has to do with the fact that most of us guys are fairly ignorant about these matters because men don't have the built in BS-detector that women seem to possess. Most guys just don't believe that THEIR partner is capable of such deception, so we're already walking around with blinders on. Couple that specific belief to the general belief that women don't cheat as much as men, in general, and you have the recipe for a successful illicit affair.
Think about it... you always hear about the men getting CAUGHT, not quite as much with the women -- even though statistics tell us that roughly 54 percent of women admit having had affairs in any relationship compared to 57 percent of men who made the same admission.
So there you have it. The fellas believe these all to be true. Are we wrong? Let me hear your thoughts! Leave a comment.




source;hoffpost

30 Lessons You Learned After 20

I truly enjoy reading those blogs written by young mothers who have managed to overcome the pressures from society to be perfect, and rely solely on their maternal instincts to raise their joyful bundles with every bit of love and support they could ever possibly need. I find myself pinning, bookmarking, and emailing these blogs to my personal accounts so when the day comes that I can finally relate to them, they're a few simple clicks away. These women are stellar and someday I will feel empowered by their wisdom.
Today... is not that day.
Tomorrow's not looking good either.
Where do I find the blogs written by young single women like me who are struggling to overcome the pressures from society to figure out a damn plan? Choosing not to settle just to settle down takes courage, too. I guess this story is just less blog-worthy because, unlike maternal instincts, the instinct to panic about our future is not something anybody is excited share with the general public.
Over the last few months, in the midst of panicking about not having a damn plan, I started to build a list of some lessons that came with my first decade of adulthood. My experiences began to feel more valuable as I considered what each of them taught me. As it grew, this list became a cozy reminder that even though my twenties seemed fleeting, they were actually full of personal growth. It helped my recent transition to 30 feel less like I had been mugged at gun point and robbed of my youth against my will, and more like a graceful step in the right direction wearing trendy, comfortable, ergonomically agreeable flats.
So, in case society is wondering, I do have a damn plan: to be too busy defining 30 to let 30 define me.
Now, in no particular order, here's my damn list:
30 Lessons You Learned After 2
1. Never willingly become somebody else's secret. Your self-confidence deserves so much better from you.
2. Real best friends forever will love you through your growing pains and appreciate the way they change you. Remember, they're changing too.
3. Drinking too much coffee is never going to be your biggest problem.
4. A person who often misinterprets good intentions probably doesn't have many good intentions of their own.
5. Take compliments gracefully. Give them freely in return.
6. Desire for perfection is a flaw in itself.
7. You're usually not a fan of someone who's not a fan of jazz. You realize this might make you seem pretentious, but know you burp in public too often for that to be true.
8. It is entirely possible that your life's calling is just wondering what your life's calling is for the rest of your life. It's ok though, because you're sure to find meaning as you search.
9. Absence makes the heart grow independent.
10. Unresolved guilt can be more painful than a broken heart.
11. When you're at a crossroads, sometimes it helps to ask yourself, "What would Oprah do?" Assume Oprah will always say yes to French fries, pizza, and ice cream. Oh, and red wine.
12. If you feel the need to lie about something to the people you love, you probably shouldn't be doing it in the first place.
13. Superstition is a waste of worry.
14. Your parents can't fix all of your problems anymore, but they are still a precious resource for advice. Not everyone is blessed with such an invaluable gift.
15. Nobody is stealing your hangers. You just shop too much.
16. There is never a good reason to talk about politics at work. Unless you work in politics, of course, but you're pretty sure that's not happening in this lifetime.
17. Optimism is powerful.
18. Maturity doesn't come with marriage.
19. Facebook will bring out narcissistic tendencies you never knew you had. Check yo'self! ...and stop checkin' yo' Facebook so much.
20. Women who claim to get along better with men are trouble.
21. Always keep ingredients on hand for basic chocolate chip cookie dough in case of emergencies. Your friends are depending on you. Do not let them down.
22. Being kind to strangers is good for your soul.
23. You are not one of those women who gains weight in her boobs. Stop trying to disprove this.
24. When you learn to accept change, your happy memories will go back to being happy memories instead of sad reminders of happier times.
25. The most valuable religious belief to uphold -- regardless of affiliation -- is that God wants us to love one another without judgment. Embrace diversity.
26. When you put forth effort that you can be proud of, your job satisfaction will increase.
27. There is no kind of hormonal birth control that doesn't make you emotional. Eventually you'll refer to the four years it took you to learn this lesson as the "med-evil times."
28. Your big sister will continue to be your idol after childhood and throughout your life.
29. Your personality is muffled in the presence of people you perceive to be more powerful than you. You hope to get over this by the time you're 40 because it's really starting to cramp your style.
30. A few seconds of sporadic dancing is a temporary fix for every kind of sadness. It doesn't matter if you're in the club, the kitchen, or the car. Just get down with your sad self.



source:hoffpost

Birth Control Pills May Raise Eye Risks

Women who use oral contraceptives for several years or longer may want to consider having their eyes checked more regularly as they get older. New research suggests that the pills may double their lifetime risk of developing glaucoma, a degenerative eye disease that can cause blindness if left untreated.
The researchers cautioned that their findings should not discourage women from using oral contraceptives, since the risk of glaucoma for the average adult over the age of 40 remains fairly low. But they said that doctors should be aware of the link, and that women who are using birth control pills — an estimated 11 million or more American women — should keep tabs on their long-term eye health.
Why birth control pills might play a role in glaucoma is not entirely clear. But cells in the optic nerve contain estrogen receptors that are believed to play a role in protecting the eyes from age-related decline, and the pills may interfere in that process by depressing estrogen levels. Researchers have previously found that women who enter menopause early or take medications that block estrogen, like drugs used against breast cancer, also have an elevated risk of glaucoma.
A sometimes painful eye disease, glaucoma affects between two and three million Americans. The most prevalent form of the condition, called open angle glaucoma, is caused by the gradual clogging of drainage canals in the eyes, creating a build-up of pressure inside the eye. The disease is more common in African Americans and in people who have a family history of the illness.
The new study looked at data on 3,406 women over the age of 40 who were followed for many years as part of the ongoing National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, which is carried out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The women regularly underwent eye exams and answered questions about their reproductive health and medical histories.
Women who reported having used birth control pills of any kind for three years or longer had a 5 percent risk of developing glaucoma, compared with a risk of about 2.5 percent in the general population, said Dr. Shan Lin, a professor of clinical ophthalmology and the director of the glaucoma service at the University of California, San Francisco medical school. Dr. Lin presented his findings this week at a meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology in New Orleans.
Dr. Lin cautioned that the findings were preliminary and showed only a correlation, not causation. But together with data from previous studies they suggest that there is a relationship between estrogen levels and the development of eye disease.
Two years ago, a large study published in the journal Eye looked at data on nearly 80,000 women who were followed for three decades as part of the Nurses’ Health Study. Women who reported using birth control pills at any point in their lives did not have an elevated risk of glaucoma. But those who specifically had used them for five years or longer did experience a modestly elevated risk of the disease.
A growing body of evidence suggests that women who go into menopause early or have their ovaries removed are also at slightly greater risk of glaucoma, while those who experience menopause later and take postmenopausal hormones appear to be at lower risk, said Dr. Louis Pasquale, the author of that study and an associate professor of ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School. He said that estrogen appears to have a “maintenance effect” on retinal ganglion cells in the eye, which are known to have estrogen receptors.
“We think the presence of estrogen helps keep those cells alive,” Dr. Pasquale said. “And so things that happen to women over the course of their lifetime that would reduce their estrogen would increase their risk because glaucoma is a degenerative condition.”
In men, the same cells of the eye appear to have estrogen receptors as well. But Dr. Pasquale said it is not yet known whether fluctuations in hormone levels would have a similar effect in men. “We’re just beginning to scratch the surface of that,” he said.
Dr. Pasquale said that researchers were working on developing topical agents for the eyes that could mimic the protective effect of estrogen. Those drugs, however, have only been tested in animal models, and they are perhaps 10 to 15 years away from human trials.
Ophthalmologists generally recommend annual eye screenings for people 65 and older. But African Americans and people who have diabetes or a family history of eye diseases are typically told to begin the screenings sooner, and women with a history of taking birth control for long periods may be advised to start earlier as well.
“I think, over all, that women need to be cognizant that there may be a connection between their reproductive health and their eyes,” said Dr. Pasquale. “While one wouldn’t necessarily make decisions about their reproductive health based on what might happen to their eyes, they should have their eyes examined if they’re someone that took a lot of oral contraceptives or if they have menopause early.”




source:nyt

Many children 'slower runners than their parents were'

Many children cannot run as fast as their parents could when they were young, a study of global fitness says.

Experts say the work - being presented at the American Heart Association's annual meeting - suggests children's fitness levels may be declining.
Researchers analysed data spanning 46 years and involving more than 25 million children in 28 countries.
On average, children today run a mile 90 seconds slower than did their counterparts 30 years ago, they said.

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If a young person is generally unfit now, then they are more likely to develop conditions like heart disease later in life”

Lead researcher Dr Grant Tomkinson University of South Australia

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Obesity

Across nations, cardiovascular endurance - gauged by how far children can run in a set time - has dwindled consistently by about 5% every decade, according to the findings.

The decline is seen in boys and girls and across all ages from nine to 17 years, and is linked to obesity, with some countries faring worse than others.
Lead researcher Dr Grant Tomkinson of the University of South Australia's School of Health Sciences said: "In fact, about 30% to 60% of the declines in endurance running performance can be explained by increases in fat mass."
The problem is largely one of Western countries, but some parts of Asia like South Korea, mainland China and Hong Kong are also seeing this phenomenon.
Dr Tomkinson said children needed to be inspired and encouraged to do more vigorous exercise.
If not, the public health consequences could be dire.
Huff and puff "If a young person is generally unfit now, then they are more likely to develop conditions like heart disease later in life," said Dr Tomkinson.
To stay healthy, children and young people need to do at least an hour of physical activity - such as walking or cycling to school and running in the playground - every day. It can be done in small chunks rather than one session.
Prof Michael Gwitz of the American Heart Association said: "The type of exercise is really important."
He says exercise must be something that "makes you sweat" and is "sustained and dynamic" to promote cardiovascular fitness.
Simply going to the gym or belonging to a school sports team might not be enough, unless you are moving around a lot.
Christopher Allen of the British Heart Foundation, said: "It's well established that being physically inactive in childhood can have serious health implications later in life.
"Keeping active can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and the sooner kids start, the better.
"By encouraging children to get active, we can help protect their hearts as they grow up. Parents, schools and community groups can all help kids on their way to 60 minutes exercise a day."



SOURCE:BBCNEWS