Health Bulletin

Iron deficiency may raise stroke risk

Low iron levels can raise your risk of stroke by making your blood more sticky, a new study published in the journal PLoS One indicates.
Those who had an iron deficiency had stickier platelets — which are small blood cells that trigger clotting when they stick together — and were more likely to suffer a stroke, according to the researchers. Even those with moderately low iron levels were about twice as likely to suffer a stroke as those with iron levels in the middle of the normal range.

First trimester appears crucial for baby's heart health

Children who were small during the early stages of fetal development may be at increased risk for heart problems, a new study in BMJ indicates.
The findings suggest that the first three months of pregnancy (1st trimester) may be a crucial period for heart health later in life that includes a period of rapid development when the heart and other major organs begin to form. Being smaller during the first trimester was also associated with an increased risk of having a number of these cardiovascular risk factors during childhood.