Health & Safety

A new Illinois state law aims to take advantage of the close relationships people often have with beauty professionals, and train stylists to recognize signs of abuse.

With New Law, Illinois Stylists Join The Fight Against Domestic Violence

2:28pm January 01, 2017

by Maggie Penman

The state law requires salon professionals to get abuse-prevention training during their licensing process. Lawmakers and stylists hope to use a unique relationship with clients to prevent abuse.

Reality Of Women's Heart Health Clashes With Perceptions

8:56am January 01, 2017

Did you know that heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women in the U.S.? Many don't. NPR's Ailsa Chang talks with cardiologist Dr. Marianne Legato.

Critics Worry New Law Will Weaken FDA Regulation

8:53am January 01, 2017

The 21st Century Cures Act promised more money for medical research, but some worry it will make patients more vulnerable. Ailsa Chang talks to Dr. Jerry Avorn about possible changes under the law.

Halima Aden wore a navy blue, embroidered burkini -- a full-body bathing suit -- during the swimsuit competition.

7 Women Trailblazers Who Took A Stand In 2016

5:54am January 01, 2017

by Malaka Gharib

Maybe they didn't make headlines. But they inspired others to break stereotypes and take a stand.

The genes in mitochondria, which are the powerhouses in human cells, can cause fatal inherited disease. But replacing the bad genes may cause other health problems.

Unexpected Risks Found In Editing Genes To Prevent Inherited Disorders

5:00am January 01, 2017

by Jill Neimark

In 2016, scientists combined the genes of three people in an effort to make a baby free of an inherited disease. But the process doesn't wipe out all faulty mitochondria, and could pose new risks.

It's sometimes hard to assess the value of health claims about yoga, but if it relieves some pain, that may be enough.

A Skeptic Fact-Checks Yoga's Health Claims And Goes With The Om

10:00am December 31, 2016

by Ann Finkbeiner

Yoga has been promoted as the cure for many ills, from diabetes to insomnia. Scientific proof is mixed. But this skeptic says if yoga makes climbing the stairs hurt less, that's good enough.

Jeff Lynch (left) and his wife, Christy, sought fertility treatments after Jeff returned home from his two deployments to Iraq, which left him unable to have children naturally.

New Law Provides Fertility Treatment Benefits To Wounded Veterans

7:41am December 31, 2016

by Patricia Murphy

Veterans' advocates estimate that as many as 2,000 former service members are possible candidates for in vitro fertilization because of military related fertility problems.

From Psychedelics To Alzheimer's, 2016 Was A Good Year For Brain Science

5:00am December 31, 2016

by Bret Stetka

A woman with ALS was able to type just by thinking about the letters, and people with cancer found their anxiety and depression erased by a single encounter with magic mushrooms.

From left: A scene from the video of a car crash test; illustration of a mosquito transmitting the Zika virus; a menstrual shed in Nepal.

Goats And Soda's Top Stories: Mosquito Repellent, Menstrual Huts, Car Crash

4:31pm December 30, 2016

by Malaka Gharib

Our 10 most popular global health and development posts in 2016.

Keishla Mojica, 23, lives in Cuagas, Puerto Rico. She was infected with Zika virus while pregnant and expects to give birth in early January.

In Puerto Rico, A Woman Infected With Zika Prays For A Healthy Baby

4:21pm December 30, 2016

by Carmen Heredia Rodriguez

Puerto Rico has experienced many more cases of Zika virus than the continental U.S. But health and educational services are scarce on the islands for children born with disabilities.