| Trends in high-risk pregnancies increase
High-risk pregnancies are on the rise in the United States and may be more common now than at any other time since modern obstetric care became available.
Why? More fortysomething moms are having babies, and epidemics of diabetes, obesity and high blood pressure are causing pregnancy and birth complications.
But in this otherwise troubling trend is also some good news: a small but growing number of women are successfully having children despite life-threatening conditions that once made a safe pregnancy almost inconceivable.
Exact numbers are not available, but doctors say that tens of thousands of organ transplant recipients, breast cancer survivors, women with heart defects and even women with the AIDS virus have decided to risk childbearing in the last several years.
Tug of war waged over Anna Nicole's mansion
NASSAU, Bahamas (AP) -- The purported father of Anna Nicole Smith's five-month-old daughter has reclaimed the Bahamas mansion where they lived before the former Playboy Playmate died last week, her lawyer said. Not only is the paternity of Smith's baby -- who stands to inherit a fortune from Smith's late husband -- in dispute, but so is the mansion. Smith, who died in Florida on Thursday, had claimed that a U.S. developer and former boyfriend, G. Ben Thompson, gave her the house. But Thompson said he had only loaned it to Smith. Thompson had the locks changed during the weekend. (Watch confrontation at the house ) Smith's lawyer and companion, Howard K. Stern -- one of three men who claims to be the baby's father -- had the locks changed again and on Sunday was at the gated waterfront estate, known as "Horizons." The baby girl, Dannielynn Hope Marshall Stern, was inside, attorney Wayne Munroe told The Associated Press.
Lights, cameras, action and name that panda!
BEIJING (Reuters) - Eighteen Chinese baby pandas, blinking under the bright lights of live television, were presented with their names on Saturday with all the glitz and glamour of a movie premiere. The 18 were paraded in little baby prams on state television after their names had been chosen by Internet surfers. The naming of panda cubs is customary when they are weaned and released into their "nursery garden", which was to happen later in the day. "The names should be civilised, standard, creative and able to highlight the panda's character as a national treasure," the Web site said on a special page where ideas could be submitted and votes cast. The 18 cubs were born to 11 mothers which were raised in captivity in the southwestern province of Sichuan. The names included Fuwa for baby no.
Bush's Proposed Health-Care Cuts Get Mixed Reviews
Depending on whom you ask, the budget that President Bush proposed last week will save or sink Medicare and Medicaid, two popular programs that, along with Social Security, threaten to swamp the federal budget as the baby-boom generation retires. Bush, citing the need for fiscal responsibility, proposed reducing by $101 billion over five years the spending growth of the two health programs, which serve 93 million people and will cost the government $564 billion this year. One of his most controversial ideas is to charge wealthier seniors higher Medicare premiums for the second time in the program's 41-year history. .
Baby's atmosphere a throwback to the 50s
The first thing that impressed me about this place was not the 1950s American diner setup, but the staff. They were super nice from the moment we walked in the door. Of course, I really enjoyed their outfits, bow ties and all. The restaurant is extremely cute and each bright red booth has its own jukebox (there is also a big jukebox in the corner on the lower level). It has a fantastic atmosphere that's appropriate for anyone: students, families and kids especially. Every Tuesday night kids eat free from 5 to 8 p.m. Both dining areas are colorful and full of fun things to look at. There's a claw machine for kids (or girlfriends) and a pinball machine. The menu includes salads, soups, cheese steaks, burgers, "whimpys" (small burgers), various sandwiches, dinner baskets, and of course, milkshakes.
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