CNN – Health

By Jacqueline Howard, CNN The rate of premature birth in the United States is climbing, according to the infant and maternal health nonprofit March of Dimes. On Tuesday, the organization released its annual “report card” on maternal and infant health, which involves a newly updated calculation system. Taking an in-depth look at premature births, the

By Jen Christensen, CNN The respiratory virus season has started early in kids this year and flooded children’s hospitals in many parts of the country — especially with respiratory syncytial virus, known as RSV. But adults can get RSV, too. Although RSV does not typically send as many adults to the hospital, it can be

By Sandee LaMotte, CNN When it comes to which milk is better for the planet — dairy or plant-based — environmentalists will say there’s no dispute: Milk made from plants wins every time. Advances in top dairy-producing countries such as China, Italy, New Zealand and the United States have dramatically increased modern milk output per

By Jen Christensen, CNN The five-year lung cancer survival rate has increased 21%, from 21% in 2014 to 25% in 2018, making what experts call “remarkable progress” — but it is still the leading cause of cancer death in the United States. However, in communities of color, a person’s odds of surviving five years after

By Deidre McPhillips, CNN Higher Covid-19 vaccination rates among US children could prevent thousands of pediatric hospitalizations and millions of missed school days, according to an analysis published Tuesday by the Commonwealth Fund and the Yale School of Public Health. If school-age children were vaccinated with the updated Covid-19 booster shot at the same rate

By Sandee LaMotte, CNN Sleeping in a room exposed to outdoor artificial light at night may increase the risk of developing diabetes, according to a study of nearly 100,000 Chinese adults. People who lived in areas of China with high light pollution at night were about 28% more likely to develop diabetes than people who

By Brenda Goodman, CNN An experimental treatment, gantenerumab, failed to help people at high risk of memory loss from Alzheimer’s or those who were in the early phases of the disease, the manufacturer said Monday. Gantenerumab is part of a class of injected drugs that are designed to remove sticky protein pieces called beta amyloid

By Nadia Kounang, CNN Moderna said on Monday its updated Covid-19 booster generated “significantly higher” neutralizing antibodies against the Omicron BA.4/BA.5 subvariants than its earlier shot. The bivalent booster used in the United States is known as mRNA-1273.222; it contains Moderna’s original vaccine and a vaccine specifically designed against the BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants. The

By Casey Barber, CNN As iconic Thanksgiving dishes go, stuffing is likely runner-up only to turkey as the dish most often on the dining table. Whether you call it stuffing or dressing or whether you cook the dish inside the turkey or as its own separate casserole is typically a matter of personal family tradition

By Jen Christensen, CNN There has been a steady increase in the number of children who are seen in emergency rooms for suicidal thoughts, according to a new study — and the increase started even before the Covid-19 pandemic, which brought record high demand for psychological services for children. The pandemic’s effects drew renewed attention

By Sandee LaMotte, CNN Spreading kindness not only helps others feel better about themselves — it can also boost the giver’s health and happiness, according to research. It’s a win-win for all. Putting the well-being of others before our own without expecting anything in return — or what is called being altruistic — stimulates the

By Zoe Sottile, CNN A mindfulness meditation course may be as effective at reducing anxiety as a common medication, according to a new study. The research, published on November 9 in JAMA Psychiatry, involved a group of 276 adults with untreated anxiety disorders. Half of the patients were randomly selected to take 10 to 20

By Brenda Goodman and Deidre McPhillips, CNN Even before their daughter was born in June, Aaron and Helen Chavez knew she would need heart surgery. Doctors expected her to have an operation around 6 months of age. When it became apparent in September that it would have to happen much sooner than expected, the Chavezes

By Madeline Holcombe, CNN When a family arrived at Koch Funeral Home in State College, Pennsylvania, to identify a loved one before cremation, Monroe took note — staying back to maintain the people’s privacy but ready to offer comfort if asked. Monroe isn’t a grief counselor or therapist. She’s an Australian Shepherd and resident therapy

By Ben Tinker, CNN Respiratory viruses including flu and RSV are circulating across the United States at high levels, overwhelming children’s hospitals and prompting concern among parents of young children. Most kids who get sick this season will recover quickly with home care, but some will need medical attention. What should parents watch for, and

By Deidre McPhillips, CNN About half of the US — 22 states, along with Washington, DC, New York City and Puerto Rico — is reporting high or very high respiratory illness activity, as flu season sweeps through the country weeks earlier than usual. Multiple respiratory viruses are circulating nationwide — including flu, RSV and the