November - 2016

Bagged salad is Salmonella risk, study finds

Bagged salad can fuel the growth of food-poisoning bugs like Salmonella and make them more dangerous, a study says. University of Leicester scientists said the moist environment combined with nutrients leaching out of chopped leaves created the perfect breeding ground for bacteria. The researchers said they were shocked at the way the bacteria thrived, even in the fridge. They advised people to eat bagged salad on the day they bought it. Despite their wholesome nature, fresh

Online calculator predicts IVF baby chances

Couples can find out their chances of having a baby over multiple cycles of IVF treatment, using a new online calculator. University of Aberdeen researchers, who developed the tool, said it would help couples shape their expectations and plan their treatments. The online calculator is based on data from more than 113,000 women who have gone through IVF. A woman's age is the most important factor in her chances of having a baby. After the age of 30, a couple's chances start to

One in four women miss 'smear test'

At least one in every four women invited for cervical cancer screening in England last year failed to attend, latest figures show. Out of about 4.2 million women invited, just over three million attended. NHS Digital said it was the second consecutive year that screening rates had fallen. Attendance rates in Wales and Scotland have also gone down. Charities said women were putting their lives at risk by not getting screened. 'Smear' test A cervical screening test (previously