Combing hair infected with head lice is four times more effective than using over-the-counter lotions, a study has concluded. Neural tube defects fell dramatically in Canada and the US after the supplement was added to flour But some experts fear fortification can mask anaemia.. It is found in vegetables such as spinach and broccoli, but 40 per cent of pregnant women admit they had an unhealthy diet before conception.Ministers are considering whether to add folic acid to flour. Women are advised to take 400mg a day before conception and in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.Folate is essential for the production and maintenance of new cells and is particularly important when rapid cell division and growth is taking place in pregnancy. “Our previous research has shown younger women and those from deprived backgrounds are less likely to take these supplements, and although some cereals are fortified, they tend to be the more expensive, brand-name products.”A 10-year campaign to encourage pregnant women to take folic acid supplements before and during pregnancy has not led to widespread use of the supplements. Mothers with higher levels were more likely to have heavier babies, while low levels were associated with low-weight infants.Seven per cent of all babies are of low birthweight (less than 5.5lb), leaving them at increased risk of disability. The findings may also explain why women who smoke are more likely to have smaller babies.Smoking can affect the ability of the cells to store folate, so that even if a woman is taking folic acid supplements, her baby may not get the benefit.Dr Caroline Relton, lead researcher on the study, said: “Many women are missing this critical window in the first few weeks of gestation, during which their baby really needs folic acid to develop and grow.” Dr Renton said her findings strengthened the argument for folic acid to be added to bread and cereals.”Fortifying food promises to be a more effective solution than a campaign to encourage women to take folic acid supplements,” she said.

Blood samples taken during routine antenatal visits were analysed for levels of folate. The vitamin folate was already known to reduce the risk of birth abnormalities known as neural tube defects.
But the study, published in the British Journal of Nutrition, has suggested that it can also affect the weight of newborn babies.Researchers from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne studied almost 1,000 women and their babies. The findings prompted calls for folic acid to be routinely added to foods such as flour and cereals. Women who take folic acid in pregnancy are more likely to have healthier, heavier babies, researchers have found.

More than one million people are diagnosed with the disease each year.* A woman’s risk of developing breast cancer while using hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may be lower than believed, researchers at the New South Wales Breast Cancer Institute said.Their study found that among women not taking HRT, the average risk of developing the disease for those 40-79 stood at 7.2 per cent; while for the group starting HRT at 50 up to the age of 79, the risk stood at 6.1 per cent and at 60-79 the risk was 4.44 per cent.. Anastrozole is already available on the NHS to women with advanced breast cancer.Breast cancer is the most common female cancer, causing more than 400,000 deaths a year worldwide. A new drug, anastrozole, has been shown to be more successful than any previous treatment in preventing the recurrence of breast cancer. A trial, published in The Lancet medical journal, found that it was more effective than tamoxifen, which for the past 20 years has been the standard treatment.
The new drug, which was tested by 3,244 women in Austria and Germany with early-stage breast cancer, is, however, eight times more expensive.The study suggests that if women who have been treated with tamoxifen for two years following breast cancer then switch to anastrozole, their risk of relapse reduces by 40 per cent compared to if they continue taking tamoxifen for the standard five-year course.The National Institute for Clinical Excellence, which determines the drugs that will be freely available on the NHS, will report on the use of the drug for early stages of breast cancer in November 2006. Lee Briers is missing for Warrington.Castleford’s coach, Dave Woods, has been cleared of making remarks to the referee, Ben Thaler, after their defeat by Hull KR in the Northern Rail Cup final.. Murphy is now director of rugby at Leigh, who said yesterday that he was comfortable.Leigh, who will be relegated if Salford beat Wigan tonight, have promoted two teenagers, Liam Coleman and Keiron Maddocks, to their squad for their game at Leeds on Sunday, but have suspended Paul Rowley over a row with their former coach Darren Abram.St Helens, who are at Warrington tonight, are being asked by South Sydney to release Sean Long so he can fulfil his ambition to play in Australia. He was admitted to Whiston Hospital near his St Helens home after complaining of feeling unwell.

“It was very close to happening, but he has taken up the option of an extra year at St George,” the Hull coach, John Kear, said “It wasn’t about the money. He just thinks St George will win something and he want to be there, but he has given us first refusal for the following year.”
More immediately, Hull will be without Richie Barnett with an injured foot against London on Sunday and still do not have Nathan Blacklock fit to return.Alex Murphy, a legendary figure in the game for almost half a century, is in hospital recovering from a mild heart attack. The Cup finalists made a big offer to the St George-Illawarra utility man, who can play centre, stand-off or back row. Hull have failed in an attempt to persuade the Australian international, Shaun Timmins, to join them next season, but still hope that he will end his career with them. I was happy to get 90 minutes but it was tough as it is the first time for two months that I have had a game.”. Souness admitted: “We will have to wait and see what happens over the next few games but the chairman is as aware as anybody that we need to strengthen.”But Souness could take some solace in the performances of two of his new boys, Emre Belozoglu and Scott Parker, who combined well in midfield on their respective debuts.Emre in particular impressed and the Turkey international – a former Inter team-mate of Coco – insisted afterwards his new team-mates hide their disappointment over Europe and concentrate on the imminent Premiership campaign.Emre said: “I think from now on the most important thing is the Premier League. And while a new striker remains his priority, the blundering Intertoto Cup semi-final defeat to Deportivo La Coru?ocused the manager’s mind on other areas in which he needs to strengthen.
Robbie Elliott – assuming the left-back role from the injured and off-form Celestine Babayaro – produced a woeful back-pass which let in Pedro Munitis for the goal which effectively killed the contest two minutes into the second half.Souness has seen seven first-team players leave a squad which he considered too thin this summer – with only three big names brought in to replace them.