Health Highlights: May 21, 2009
May 22 -- Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by editors of HealthDay:
No Decline in Pregnant Women's Alcohol Use: CDC
The number of American women who drink alcohol while pregnant didn't decrease between 1991 and 2005, despite warnings from the Surgeon General about the dangers of drinking while pregnant, says a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study released Thursday.
During that 15-year period, about 1 in 8 women drank any amount of alcohol while pregnant and about 1 in 50 pregnant women engaged in binge drinking. Rates of alcohol use and binge drinking among women of childbearing age remained steady.
The study was published Thursday in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Alcohol use during pregnancy continues to be an important public health concern, said the study authors. They added that health care professionals play an important role in education women about this issue and should routinely ask all women who are pregnant or of childbearing age about their alcohol use, inform them of the risks of alcohol use while pregnant, and advise them not to consume alcohol while pregnant.
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Japanese Women Have Longest Life Expectancy: WHO
Women in Japan and men in San Marino have the longest life expectancies in the world, according to the World Health Organization.
Life expectancies are 86 years for Japanese women and 81 years for men in San Marino. On the other end of the scale, men in Sierra Leone are expected to live only 39 years, while women in Afghanistan live to an average age of 42 years, the Associated Press reported.
The figures are based on statistics from 2007. While some countries, such as Angola, Eritrea and Liberia have made great progress in increasing life expectancy, countries such as Botswana, Kenya and Lesotho have experienced a decrease in life expectancy since 1990, the WHO said.
The life expectancy statistics were among more than 100 health trends released Thursday by the Geneva-based body, the AP reported.
