BABY FRIENDLY HOSPITALS: Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe, Co Galway and the Regional Hospital in Waterford City have become the first Irish hospitals to meet the criteria for the WHO/UNICEF Baby Friendly Hospital initiative.
To achieve the Baby Friendly status, the hospitals had to develop a breastfeeding policy, provide training for staff and provide accurate information and support to mothers on breastfeeding and babycare. Over 19,000 hospitals worldwide have received the award, 300 of which are EU countries. Some 20 of the 22 maternity hospitals/units in Ireland are currently working towards achieving the WHO/UNICEF Baby Friendly Hospital status. See also www.ihph.ie/babyfriendlyinitiative
OSTEOPOROSIS RISK: Seven out of 10 women consider themselves at risk of developing osteoporosis, yet only one in three have taken steps to have their bone health checked out. The survey, which was carried out by the International Osteoporosis Foundation and the European Institute of Women's Health, aims to highlight the risks of developing osteoporosis. These include genetic factors, a lack of oestrogen caused by early menopause, early hysterectomy, missing periods, long-term use of steroid medicine, other medical conditions, heavy drinking and smoking.
HEADACHE TREATMENT: Sufferers of chronic headaches have found relief from combined treatment with acupuncture and conventional drugs, according to a study in the British Medical Journal. The study, which compared a group of patients using both acupuncture and conventional medication with a group receiving conventional medication only, found that after a year, the patients receiving both showed a 34 per cent decrease in headaches compared with 16 per cent in the control group. The patients on both treatments also reported less medication, fewer visits to their doctor and fewer work days lost.