BiotechMashup

There are currently no reliably safe and effective treatments for morning sickness, according to researchers who conducted a systematic review of the available evidence. There was very limited evidence for all pharmaceutical and alternative medicines tested.

(Wiley-Blackwell) Gels, creams and sprays containing painkillers such as ibuprofen, diclofenac, ketoprofen and piroxicam are safe and effective treatments for local pain, according to Cochrane researchers. A new systematic review they have conducted shows that topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are more effective than placebos for treating short-term pain and have few side effects.

(Wiley-Blackwell) Immunotherapy given as pills or drops under the tongue is a safe and effective way to treat hayfever-like allergies caused by pollen and dust mites, according to a new Cochrane Systematic Review. The researchers say the approach is an attractive alternative to immunotherapy injections in children.

Research that traced both the maternal and paternal family histories of women with hyperemesis gravidarum -- an extreme form of pregnancy-related morning sickness that hospitalizes 60,000 pregnant women each year -- suggests not only that the condition could be genetic but that women with sisters who had HG could have a more than 17-fold risk of experiencing the debilitating condition too.

(University of California - Los Angeles) Research that traced both the maternal and paternal family histories of women with hyperemesis gravidarum -- an extreme form of pregnancy-related morning sickness that hospitalizes 60,000 pregnant women each year -- suggests not only that the condition could be genetic but that women with sisters who had HG could have a more than 17-fold risk of experiencing the debilitating condition too.

Gels, creams and sprays containing painkillers such as ibuprofen, diclofenac, ketoprofen and piroxicam are safe and effective treatments for local pain, according to researchers. A new systematic review they have conducted shows that topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are more effective than placebos for treating short-term pain and have few side effects.

(Wiley-Blackwell) A systematic review published in the Cochrane Library did not find compelling evidence to support the routine use of aspirin in women being treated for IVF. The researchers reported that taking aspirin during an IVF cycle did not seem to increase a woman's chances of becoming pregnant.

(Wiley-Blackwell) Antioxidant supplements may benefit couples who have difficulty conceiving naturally, according to a new systematic review published today in the Cochrane Library. The review provides evidence from a small number of trials that suggest the partners of men who take antioxidants are more likely to become pregnant.

(Wiley-Blackwell) More research is required to establish whether Chinese herbal medicines can reduce the likelihood of developing diabetes, according to Cochrane Researchers. Although herbal medicines are widely used in Asian countries to treat pre-diabetes (impaired glucose tolerance or IGT), the precursor of the disease, researchers say there is still not enough hard scientific evidence to confidently recommend their use.