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Mothers of IVF babies at increased risk of digestive disease

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London: Women who give birth to babies using in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) are at increased risk of a chronic digestive disease, says a new study.

The researchers from Turkey compared two groups of women who had given birth to their first child at least one year earlier and found that those who had had IVF were three-times more likely to be diagnosed with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD), than those who had conceived naturally.

GORD is a common condition in which acid from the stomach travels up into the oesophagus and causes heartburn, regurgitation and pain when swallowing.

The most common cause of GORD is a weakening of the lower oesophageal sphincter (LOS) (the ring of muscle at the end of the oesophagus), allowing the stomach acid to leak up into the oesophagus and damage the lining.

For the study the researchers compared 156 first time mothers who conceived using IVF with an age-matched control group of women who had conceived naturally.

The prevalence of GORD at the time of data collection was found to be 13.5 percent in the group of women who had received IVF compared with just 4.5 percent in the group of women who had conceived naturally.

The reasons why women who have IVF might be more prone to developing GORD are not clear.

However, the study authors proposed a number of possibilities, including medications taken during IVF, psychological causes associated with fertility issues (such as stress, depression and anxiety), and the possibility that women who undergo IVF may spend long periods of time lying down for fear of miscarriage.

“These are very interesting findings,” said Oliver Pech, head of gastroenterology and Interventional Endoscopy at the St. John of God Hospital in Regensburg in Germany and Associate Editor of the UEG Journal where the study was published.

“We really need to investigate how we might prevent the development of GORD in all pregnant women, but particularly in those who receive IVF treatment,” Pech noted.

Corona

Covid toll in Karnataka is a worrying sign for state government

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Even though Karnataka recorded the lowest number of Covid deaths in April since the virus struck first in 2020, the state is recording a rise in the positivity rate (1.50 per cent). Five people died from the Covid infections in April as per the statistics released by the state health department. In March, the positivity rate stood around 0.53 per cent. In the first week of April it came down to 0.38 per cent, second week registered 0.56 per cent, third week it rose to 0.79 per cent and by end of April the Covid positivity rate touched 1.19 per cent.

on an average 500 persons used to succumb everyday in the peak of Covid infection, as per the data. Health experts said that the mutated Coronavirus is losing its fierce characteristics as vaccination, better treatment facilities and awareness among the people have contributed to the lesser number of Covid deaths.

During the 4th and 6th of April two deaths were reported in Bengaluru, one in Gadag district on April 8, two deaths were reported from Belagavi and Vijayapura on April 30. The first Covid case was reported in the state in March 2020 and three Covid deaths were recorded in the month. In the following month 21 people became victims to the deadly virus, and May 2020 recorded 22 deaths. The death toll recorded everyday after May crossed three digits. However, the third wave, which started in January 2

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