Avoiding C-Sections | Genetically engineered...babies? | Deathly diarrhea

A new idea to help women have vaginal deliveries when they want them

Jesse Costa/WBUR A New Way To Give Moms The Birth They Want Many mothers -- and their doctors -- want to avoid having C-sections which come with a longer recovery period, greater risk of infection and greater risk for injury and death. But how? A group of medical professionals is trying something new at a handful of hospitals around the country. The effort, called Team Birth Project, puts the mom at the center of an ultra-communicative team, and essentially changes the way labor and delivery is handled from start to finish. And it’s working. Read on to find out how they do it and how one mom made it through a challenging delivery.   BSIP/UIG via Getty Images Why Are C. Diff Infections Becoming Common Outside The Hospital? One strain of a common class of bacteria, Clostridium difficile, or C. diff, can cause life-threatening diarrhea. The bug was associated with nearly 30,000 deaths in 2011. Typically spread in hospitals and nursing homes and acquired by patients taking antibiotics, C. diff used to be thought of almost exclusively as a hospital-acquired infection But research now suggests C. diff rates in the community are on the rise -- and antibiotics use may not be the only risk factor. Read on to learn more about what might be causing  these troubling home-grown infections.   Mark Schiefelbein/AP One Doctor's Daring (Dubious?) Foray Into Human Gene-editing Spurs A Global Controversy For the first time, a scientist claims to have used new gene-editing techniques to create genetically modified human babies. In doing so, the scientist, He Jiankui of Shenzhen, China, also created a scientific scandal of global proportions. He says he modified human embryos, leading to the birth of twin girls, Lulu and Nana.  He did it, he says, to protect them from the HIV virus. The children's father is HIV-positive. If the claims are true, many say the move would be historic, comparing it to the birth of Louise Brown, the first baby created through in-vitro fertilization, IVF. Read more about this controversial breakthrough. A group of scientists and bioethicists at the 2nd International Summit On Human Genome Editing issued a statement calling He’s actions "deeply disturbing" and "irresponsible." Yet they rejected calls for a blanket moratorium on such research, saying that could unnecessarily hinder the advancement of science. What do you think? Read more about the ethical debate. And read about He’s defense against his critics.   More news from the frontiers of medicine A few more of this week's stories you don't want to miss: The surprising reason some young children get diagnosed with ADHD To improve mood, zap this part of the brain Youth football under the microscope again: Brain scans show worrisome changes in young brains Find more of NPR's health journalism on Shots and follow us for daily stories at @NPRHealth. Your Shots editor, Carmel Wroth You received this message because you're subscribed to our Health emails. |  Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy | NPR 1111 N. CAPITOL ST. NE WASHINGTON DC 20002