The obstetrics staff was surprised the first time it happened in June 2025. A pregnant woman who was dependent on methamphetamine arrived at the hospital in labor. She showed an image of graffiti spray-painted on a bridge in downtown Denver that read “Have your baby at Lutheran.” She was scared, and in pain, but wanted to be somewhere she...Read more

For millions of people, cannabis has become the unofficial prescription for lost sleep. But what feels like a solution may be quietly making the problem worse.

Consider these two cases:

She is 15 and has been lying in bed for the past hour. It is past midnight, and her brain will not quiet down. Her school bus comes at 6:20 a....Read more

Officials, environmental health advocates, and skin care industry groups are expressing hope that the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of a sunscreen ingredient this week — after consideration for two decades, and global use for nearly as long — will help restore Americans’ wavering faith in sunscreen.

“Bemotrizinol has been ...Read more

Elizabeth Bonker is a silent woman with a loud mission. She wants government agencies to cover the costs of training people with autism in a form of communication called assisted spelling. One problem: Leading professional organizations don't believe it works.

"All nonspeakers above the age of 5 should be given the opportunity," typed Bonker, ...Read more

Carrie Frail was in the process of leaving an abusive relationship when she discovered she was pregnant. Her partner told her he could hit her in the stomach until she had a miscarriage, and it would save some money.

“I firmly believe he would have killed me at some point, whether accidentally or intentionally,” Frail said.

She had a ...Read more

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: My mom, older sisters and I have always had really painful menstrual periods. I recently read that this could be caused by endometriosis. Could you tell me more about it?

ANSWER: My rule of thumb for patients is that their periods should be no more than an inconvenience. If someone is missing time from work or school, not ...Read more

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I'm in my 50s and have begun experiencing nagging back pain. Recently, I saw an orthopedic doctor and was diagnosed with scoliosis. Does this mean I have to have surgery?

ANSWER: Not necessarily. Scoliosis in adults may require no treatment or be able to be managed without surgery. It all comes down to ...Read more

About a year ago at Erlanger Baroness, the largest hospital in Chattanooga, anesthesia staff noticed that a nurse was slurring his words and struggling to stay awake while on duty in the surgery center, according to a Tennessee Board of Nursing consent order.

In the days that followed, the nurse failed a drug test and was fired, the order ...Read more

Nearly 200 residents at the St. Joseph’s Center nursing home in the affluent Connecticut suburb of Trumbull were evacuated last year after Legionella bacteria was found in the facility’s water system. Two months later, they were evacuated again over critical failures in the building’s fire safety systems.

Three years earlier, residents at...Read more

What’s the best way to combat mosquito-borne diseases? Apparently, releasing more of the bloodsuckers, according to a Google-backed initiative.

The Debug project is seeking permission from the Environmental Protection Agency to release up to 32 million sterilized mosquitoes in both Florida and California over two years, according to a May 6 ...Read more

If you’re among the roughly 70 million people who get health coverage through Medicare, the federal insurance program for people age 65 and older and some younger people with disabilities, you’re probably already aware of some of the big changes to the system in 2026 — changes that have hit budgets hard.

This year’s 9.7% jump in ...Read more

Chickpea popularity continues to grow as a delicious and nutritious plant-based source of dietary fiber, protein, and several other nutrients, as well as a host of health promoting plant compounds.

The folklore

The beloved chickpea is integral to globally inspired dishes, such as hummus, falafel and dal. Native to the Middle East, this ancient...Read more

The time in between lunch and dinner can feel like a marathon. When you’d like to wait until an appropriate dinner time, snacks are a great option to help you feel full. “When it comes to building a snack that will help you feel full throughout the afternoon, it’s important to consider protein and fiber,” says registered dietitian Amanda...Read more

A strong core is the foundation for an active and safe life. Your core enables you to generate power during rotational movements, such as swinging a golf club or tennis racket. It also creates stability around your spine to protect your lower back when you’re lifting and carrying heavy objects, and helps you maintain a proper posture.

Your ...Read more

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I’ve read so much about the health benefits of tracking my steps. But there’s a lot of confusing information out there. How many is the right number? Are some “steps” better for you than others? Please help.

ANSWER: Whether you’re tracking steps with your phone, a smartwatch or an old-school pedometer, the result is ...Read more

When RaDonda Vaught got her first speaking request, it had been a year since that day in a Nashville courtroom, when she listened as a jury read her guilty verdict for negligent homicide and neglect of an impaired adult.

That was in 2022. Vaught was sentenced to three years of probation for administering the wrong medication and killing a ...Read more

Too little vitamin B12 can damage genetic material and increase cancer risk, though some studies implicate high levels of the crucial vitamin with certain cancers and poorer outcomes in cancer patients.

A 2025 study from Vietnam found increased cancer risk for both low and excessively high B12 consumption, indicating that balance matters. An ...Read more

PORT HURON, Mich. — State health officials urged parents in several counties to vaccinate babies against measles ahead of schedule this spring as cases multiplied in Michigan. The outbreaks of the highly contagious virus — which can lead to brain swelling, deafness, and death — came as parents are opting school-age kids out of vaccinations...Read more