Pacifier Sucking Reduces Allergy Risk in Babies
Parents seeking ways to reduce their baby’s allergy risk should try sucking their pacifier, suggests a new research. Parents who suck their baby’s pacifier to clean it are said to be passing healthy microbes that boost the baby to develop immune system. Although the idea of cleaning a pacifier by licking it before handing it back to the baby might seem repulsive, that little act might be one way of reducing allergy risks in the future, note experts, who attribute it to health-promoting microbes that are passed from parents to their children. In stark contrast, however, is the concern that parents may also transfer bacteria that cause cavities, thereby leading to early tooth decay.
Breast Cancer Risk Following Childbirth
Women may have higher risk of breast cancer after childbirth, states a study which found that the age of the woman during birth could also be a factor in increasing the risk. While past research indicated that giving birth provides a protective effect against breast cancer, the new study maintains that the preventive impact may take about two decades to develop. When compared with same age women who never had children, women who had given birth were at an increased risk for breast cancer. Researchers found that this risk peaked five years and continued for 24 years after giving birth. However, there is no reason to press the caution button, they note, as the overall risk remains low and the odds even out after 20 years.
