WEIGHT BETWEEN PREGNANCIES:Mothers who gain or lose lots of weight between pregnancies could be putting their babies at risk, according to new research by two Irish medics.
The trend for new mothers to lose lots of weight in a short time could be detrimental to their infants' health, they warned. But women who pile on the pounds after giving birth also put their next child at risk. Effects can include premature birth, greater risk of stillbirth and high blood pressure.
Women should therefore try to maintain a healthy weight before, during and after pregnancy to give their child the best start in life, according to the researchers Jennifer Walsh, a specialist registrar in obstetrics and gynaecology at Coombe Women's Hospital in Dublin, and Deirdre Murphy, professor of obstetrics at Trinity College, University of Dublin, and Coombe Women's Hospital. They were writing in the British Medical Journal (BMJ).
SUICIDE PREVENTION:The 14th Biennial Congress of the International Association for Suicide Prevention will take place in Killarney, Co Kerry from August 28th to September 1st. Aimed at survivors, care-givers, researchers, policy-makers and health professionals, the conferences will discuss innovative approaches to suicide prevention. Preventing Suicide Across the Lifespan: Dreams and Realitiesis the theme of the congress. The congress is co-sponsored by the World Health Organisation. Contact Dr John Connolly, founder of the Irish Association for Suicidology, on e-mail jconnolly@iasp2007.org
HEALTHY WORKPLACE FINALISTS:Vodafone, Bank of Ireland Life and Oracle reached the finals of a healthy workplace competition, run by Yakult probiotic drink. Key aspects of the workplace which employees identified as healthy were healthy options in staff restaurants, on-site practitioners for various therapies and classes and chill-out or relaxation zones.
The competition was held in response to a survey which found that 52 per cent of employees consider their workplace an unhealthy environment.