Mothers who smoke should not share a bed with their babies, according to Prof Ed Mitchell of the University of Auckland in New Zealand. In an analysis of cot deaths (sudden infant death syndrome), Mitchell found that in 23 per cent of cases the infant had been sleeping with a mother who smoked. Writing in the British Medical Journal, Prof Mitchell also highlights other research which found that cot death is almost five times more likely among infants of mothers who smoked during pregnancy compared to infants of non-smokers.

Executives who work out regularly have been found to be better decision-makers. A US study of 80 workers who participated in an exercise programme for nine months found that fitness levels increased by 22 per cent, while the ability to make complex decisions increased by 70 per cent over that of non-exercisers. Good news, perhaps, but the problem for many workers is finding the time to go to the gym. So, now the gym can come to you via a personal trainer who charges £30 per home visit to devise and work on a personal exercise programme with you. Network Personal Training can be contacted at 01-8313254 or email: npt@iol.ie

ERB'S Palsy is a little-known condition of paralysis of an arm or arms, caused during a difficult childbirth. The recently formed Erb's Palsy Association is urging pregnant women who have a history of difficult deliveries or who have given birth to a baby with Erb's Palsy to consult their obstetricians so that they can receive sufficient monitoring which will possibly prevent another baby suffering the same birth injury. An estimated 80 per cent of Erb's Palsy sufferers make a full recovery within three months. However, about 20 per cent will suffer from some permanent paralysis. The Erb's Palsy Association can be contacted at 091-552623. Its website is www.erbspalsy.ie

German researchers have found a daily hormone supplement helps women whose adrenal glands have stopped working properly to regain their sex drive. The steroid hormone, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is normally produced by the adrenal gland and thought to play an important part in the control of mood and sex drive. The researchers found that when a group of women (average age: 42) took DHEA instead of a placebo for four months, their likelihood of feeling depressed or anxious declined and they began having more sexual thoughts.

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