Planning Pregnancy May Cut Birth Defects

FRIDAY, April 6 (HealthDay News) -- Women who'd like to become pregnant -- especially those who are taking medications for chronic conditions -- may need to add something to their to-do list: Plan, plan, plan.

Forgoing Medication, for Baby's Sake

FRIDAY, April 6 (HealthDay News) -- Laura Mokelke was diagnosed with painful psoriatic arthritis when she was just 19 years old. A powerful combination of medications helps to keep her symptoms at bay, including methotrexate, a drug that is used to treat certain types of cancer.

Resolutions Revisited

FRIDAY, April 6 (HealthDay News) -- Three months into 2012, chances are good that those grand plans for self-improvement hatched at the start of the new year have become more of a dead weight.

Health Tip: What Triggers Ingrown Toenails?

(HealthDay News) -- An ingrown toenail occurs when a nail grows into the skin on the sides or top of a toe. This painful condition can lead to infection.

Health Tip: Control Portion Sizes at Home

(HealthDay News) -- Limiting the amount of food you eat is key to losing weight and maintaining weight loss.

Anxiety Might Help People Sniff Out Threats

FRIDAY, April 6 (HealthDay News) -- Anxiety improves a person's ability to smell potentially threatening odors, according to a new study.

Diagnostic Scans Tied to Radiation Risk for Gastro Patients

FRIDAY, April 6 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with digestive disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease may be exposed to significant levels of radiation from diagnostic imaging tests, a new study suggests.

Overuse Injuries Common Among Female College Athletes

FRIDAY, April 6 (HealthDay News) -- Overuse injuries account for more than one-quarter of all injuries suffered by U.S. collegiate athletes, a new study has found.

Taking Multivitamins Won't Prevent Canker Sores, Study Says

THURSDAY, April 5 (HealthDay News) -- Although vitamin deficiencies have been linked to canker sores, taking a daily multivitamin won't prevent this common mouth ailment, a new study finds.

Emotional Trauma May Hurt Toddlers' Later Learning

FRIDAY, April 6 (HealthDay News) -- Suffering emotional trauma such as witnessing domestic violence or being abused early in life may inhibit children's intellectual development, according to a new study.

Bilingual Kids Are Better Multi-Taskers, Study Says

FRIDAY, April 6 (HealthDay News) -- Children who grow up learning to speak two languages are better at multi-tasking than children who learn only one language, a new study finds.

Esophageal Cancer Surgery Can Leave Lingering Health Problems, Study Says

FRIDAY, April 6 (HealthDay News) -- Surgery for esophageal cancer can result in lingering health problems for long-term survivors, a new study finds.

Pregnancy Length May Influence Severity of Autism

FRIDAY, April 6 (HealthDay News) -- Children with autism who were born either prematurely or several weeks late may experience more severe symptoms than kids with autism who were born on time, according to a new study.

Rapid Asthma Treatment in ER May Prevent Admission

FRIDAY, April 6 (HealthDay News) -- Rapid treatment with asthma medications seems to help reduce hospitalizations among children with asthma, a new study finds.

Pharmacy 'Robots' Linked to Bacterial Contamination of Drugs

FRIDAY, April 6 (HealthDay News) -- So-called robotic drug dispensers can be contaminated with dangerous bacteria, a new report says.

Study Finds Antibiotics Best for Appendicitis

THURSDAY, April 5 (HealthDay News) -- For people suffering from uncomplicated appendicitis, a course of antibiotics may be just as good as having the appendix removed, British researchers report.

Health Highlights: April 6, 2012

Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay: