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Psychological Stress Doesn't Impact IVF
Swedish researchers find
calming news in new study
THURSDAY, Aug. 25 (HealthDay News) -
Psychological stress doesn't seem to influence
the outcome of in vitro fertilization, according to Swedish researchers.
The new findings appear to be good news for women who fear that the anxiety they suffer during fertility treatment might harm their chances of conception, said lead
author Lisbeth Anderheim, a midwife at Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg.
Past research on the effects of stress on IVF success has been conflicting, with some studies finding an effect while others haven't.
In this study, published in the Aug. 25 issue of Human Reproduction,
more than 160 women filled out questionnaires during fertility treatment. The completed questionnaires displayed no difference
in anxiety levels between those who became pregnant and those who didn't.
"During IVF treatment, patients frequently ask about the relationship between psychological stress & outcome & often express worries that their own stress might have a negative influence, so the fact that our
prospective study didn't indicate any relationship is reassuring," Anderheim said in a prepared statement. "This is a
positive message we can give our patients to help decrease their stress at this time.
More
information
The National Women's Health Information
Center has more about infertility (womenshealth.gov ).
Housework Helps Sweep Hypertension Away
Daily
clean-ups encourage clean
bill of health, study finds
SUNDAY, Sept.
11 (HealthDay News) - Americans aiming to lower their blood pressure don't always
need to hit the gym: According to a new study, cleaning the house, doing some yard work or washing the car
may help do the trick.
These types of everyday,
around-the-house activities have been shown to significantly lower blood pressure in people with hypertension & pre-hypertension,
according to a study in the August issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.
In the study, 28
people ages 42 to 63 were asked to burn 150 calories during a 12-hour period working around their house. They wore devices
to measure blood pressure, activity & intensity.
Researchers found that 4 hours of accumulated
daily "lifestyle physical activity" cut blood pressure
for an average of 6 to 8 hours. In hypertensive individuals - people with systolic blood pressure readings of 140 mm Hg or
above - this type of routine housework was linked to a decline in that number of nearly 13 mm Hg over 8 hours, according to
the study.
"The findings indicate that physical activity should be considered as an essential component in the management of blood pressure," said one of the researchers, Jaume Padilla,
a doctoral student at Indiana Univ., Bloomington.
More information
The National Institutes of Health has more about high blood pressure (www.nhlbi.nih.gov ).
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Working Overtime Raises Injury, Illness
Risk
Study found 12-hour
days boosted the odds by more than a third
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 17 (HealthDay News) Regardless
of job type, working double shifts & overtime puts American workers at increased risk for injury
& illness, a new study shows.
Researchers at the Univ. of Massachusetts
Medical School analyzed data on more than 5,100 work-related injuries & illnesses & found
that more than 1/2 occurred in jobs with extended working hours or overtime.
After making adjustments for certain factors, the researchers concluded
that employees who worked overtime were 61% more likely to suffer a work-related illness or injury than those who
didn't work overtime.
The study found that working at least 12 hours a day was associated
with a 37% increased risk of illness or injury, while working
at least 60 hours a week was associated with a 23% increased
risk.
The findings appear in
the current issue of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
While longer working hours were associated with increased risk of
illness & injury, there was no link between long commutes & work-related illness or injury, the researchers said.
They believe these findings support the theory that
fatigue & stress caused by long working hours indirectly contribute to workplace accidents.
In the United States, up to 1/3
of overtime is compulsory.
More information
The U.S. Department
of Labor has more about workplace safety (www.osha.gov ).
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