New Delhi, May 28 (IANSlife) Smoking and tobacco use can have a serious impact on the fertility of both men and women, and consequently the quality of life in pregnancy.   If a woman is a regular smoker, then it has a double effect on a woman's fertility. Smoking can harm both the eggs and the uterus. It not only affects her egg quality, but can also have endometrial effect. Many studies too have shown that smoking can have negative effects on fertility, notes Dr Apurva

New Delhi, May 27 (IANS) One of the pioneers to initiate hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) therapy in COVID-19 positive patients, Dr Sudhir Bhandari , Principal and Controller, Sawai Madho Singh Medical College Hospitals, Jaipur has slammed the decision of the World Health Organisation (WHO) to temporarily put on hold the HCQ trial.   Sharing his views with IANS, Bhandari said the WHO decision has drawn severe censure and flak from the medical fraternity across India.   Th

New Delhi, May 27 (PTI) Global health experts on Wednesday said novel coronavirus is here to stay for more than a year and called for aggressive testing to prevent its spread.   In an interaction with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, health experts Professor Ashish Jha and Professor Johan Giesecke talked about the COVID-19 pandemic as part of the series being aired on Congress social media channels.   While Jha exuded confidence that a vaccine will be available in a

London, May 26 (IANS) Higher spirituality among stroke survivors was strongly linked to a better quality of life for them and their caregivers who may also feel depressed, say researchers.   For many stroke survivors, a caregiver, often a family member or a close friend, may help with the daily tasks, making the survivor and the caregiver prone to depression. Depression can impact the quality of life for both.   "Research shows that spirituality may help some

New Delhi, May 26 (IANS) The Indian Council of Medical Research on Tuesday said it will continue using hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) medicine as prophylaxis for COVID-19 disease.   Speaking at a press conference, Dr Balram Bhargava, Director General (DG) of the ICMR, told the media that the Council found the drug very effective and having less side effects for prophylaxis consumption.   The clinical trial of the HCQ on COVID-19 patients was suspended by the World Healt

TOKYO, May 26 (Reuters) - Research into Fujifilm Holdings Corp’s (4901.T) Avigan will continue into June, Japan’s government said on Tuesday, effectively dashing hopes by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that the drug would be approved as a COVID-19 treatment this month.   Abe had said he hoped the drug would be approved in May if its efficacy and safety could be confirmed.   “The company will continue research into next month or so, and if an applicati

London, May 25 (IANS) A new study has claimed that young adults aged between 16 and 24 may have a six-fold increased risk of epilepsy-related death, a disorder in which nerve cell activity in the brain is disturbed, causing seizures.   The study, presented at the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) Virtual Congress, found that mortality rates for epilepsy-related deaths did not decrease between 2009 (6.8 per 100,000) and 2015 (9.1 per 100,000), despite advances in treatment

New Delhi, May 24 (IANSlife) The body's immune system plays a vital role in safe-guarding us from most infections, but as we age, our immune system also ages and gradually loses its ability to fight against infections. Among older people, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart and liver ailments put pressure on their weakened immune system, which makes it more difficult for them to deal with threats like the Coronavirus.   Dr Karthik Anantharaman, Director e-pharmacy, Medl

May 24 (Reuters) - The University of Oxford's COVID-19 vaccine trial has only a 50% chance of success as the coronavirus seems to be fading rapidly in Britain, the professor co-leading the development of the vaccine told the Telegraph newspaper https://bit.ly/2LQTNos.   Adrian Hill, director of Oxford's Jenner Institute, which has teamed up with drugmaker AstraZeneca Plc to develop the vaccine, said that an upcoming trial, involving 10,000 volunteers, threatened to r

New Delhi, May 23 (PTI): As Indian firms scramble to develop a vaccine for coronavirus, experts feel that research in the country is still at a nascent stage and any concrete breakthrough is not likely within a year.   The Indian government and private firms have stepped up efforts to develop a vaccine to halt the spread of COVID-19 which has claimed over 3,700 lives with more than 1,25,000 cases in the country.   PM CARES Fund Trust has decided to allocate Rs 100

New York, May 23 (IANS) The placentas from 16 women who tested positive for Covid-19 while pregnant showed evidence of injury, the organ that acts as the gut, kidneys, liver and lungs for a fetus during pregnancy, say researchers.   According to the study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Pathology, pathological exams completed directly following birth found evidence of insufficient blood flow from the mother to the fetus and blood clots in the placenta. The typ

London, May 23 (IANS) Researchers have found that age, male sex, obesity, and underlying illness have emerged as risk factors for severe COVID-19 or death in the UK.   According to a study, published in the journal The BMJ, the risk of death increases in the over 50s, as does being male, obese, or having underlying heart, lung, liver and kidney disease.It provides a comprehensive picture of the characteristics of patients hospitalised in the UK with COVID-19 and their outcom

London, May 22 (IANS) Researchers have revealed that people who are socially isolated are over 40 per cent more likely to have a cardiovascular event, such as a heart attack or stroke, than those who were socially integrated.   The study also found that those who are socially isolated are almost 50 per cent more likely to die from any cause.   "We have known for some time that feeling lonely or lacking contact with close friends and family can have an impact

New Delhi, May 22 (IANSlife) High blood pressure means the heart has to put in more effort to pump blood. This force can cause damage to blood vessels which can lead to heart attack, brain stroke, kidney damage or nerve damage.   Daljit Kaur, Chief Clinical Nutritionist, Fortis Escorts, Okhla Road, Delhi, suggests a healthy diet to reduce the blood pressure:   Maintain ideal body weight, avoid too much sugary foods   Exercise 30 minutes brisk walking ev

May 21 (PTI): As scientists across the world work frantically to find a vaccine against COVID-19, which continues its rapid global spread, all eyes are on United States-based company Moderna's encouraging early results on a small group of healthy volunteers.   Cautioning that a vaccine is still months, maybe even a year away, experts said the US-based biotechnology firm‘s results have propelled it to a pole position in the race of 118.   Eight candidate

London, May 19 (IANS) Eating at least two daily servings of dairy-rich diet is linked to lower risks of diabetes and high blood pressure, as well as the cluster of factors that heighten cardiovascular disease risk (metabolic syndrome), say researchers. Dairy products included milk, yoghurt, yoghurt drinks, cheese and dishes prepared with dairy products, and were classified as full or low fat (1-2 per cent). Butter and cream were assessed separately as these are not commonly

New York, May 19 (IANS) A diet rich in fruits and vegetables given over a relatively short period of time was associated with significantly lower levels of markers for subclinical cardiac damage and strain in adults without preexisting cardiovascular disease (CVD), say researchers. Observational studies show that a healthy diet is linked to a reduced risk for CVD events, leading many to advocate for stronger public policy to promote healthy food choices. Critics, however, po

File Photo London, May 19 (IANS) People taken ill by coronavirus infections may experience psychiatric problems while hospitalised and potentially after they recover, warn researchers. The systematic review, published in the journal 'The Lancet Psychiatry', compiled results from short- and long-term studies of people hospitalised by recent coronaviruses, namely SARS (Severe acute respiratory syndrome) in 2002-2004, MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome) in 2012, as well as

New York, May 18 (IANS) Researchers have found that patients with peripheral artery disease or stroke were less likely to receive recommended treatments to prevent heart attack than those with coronary artery disease. All three are types of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Depending on the location of the blockage, atherosclerosis increases the risk for three serious conditions: coronary artery disease, stroke and peripheral artery disease. "Our study highlights the n

Representative Image -  Getty Images   New Delhi, May 17 (IANSlife) Sixty one per cent Indians are experiencing mental health related issues because of the uncertainty and looming financial crisis during the lockdown, said a survey. According to the eRebooting 2020: A Story of Covid-19, and Shifting Perceptions' survey by The Mavericks India, Gen-Z and millennials have been impacted the most with 27 per cent of Gen-Z and 19 per cent of millennials expressing tha