Currently browsing tag

researchers

Abortion rates fall to historic low in wealthy countries, little changed elsewhere

By Kate Kelland LONDON (Reuters) – Abortion rates have dropped dramatically in the past 25 years to historic lows in wealthy countries, but dipped only slightly in poorer developing nations, according to a global study published on Wednesday. The study – by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Guttmacher Institute – also found that imposing restrictive laws does little to lower abortion rates, but is more likely to force people into having unsafe terminations. The overall findings highlight a lack in poorer countries of access to modern contraception methods – such as the pill, implants and coils – to reduce unwanted pregnancies, the researchers said.

Chocolate may be good for your heart, study suggests

New research has added to tentative evidence that eating chocolate in modest quantities may be good for the heart, scientists said on Tuesday. The top fifth of chocolate-eaters were 12 percent less likely to develop heart disease and 23 percent less likely to suffer a stroke compared to the bottom fifth of consumers, the researchers found. The study, published in the British journal Heart, noted that most consumers of the confectionary ate milk chocolate, not dark chocolate which famously has a higher percentage of protective molecules called flavonoids.